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ohmyasmodeus · 5 years ago

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♥ 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 ♥

such a cute request! i was going to do only levi at first, but i couldn’t help but do the rest of the brothers because of how adorable your request is. thank you so much, and i hope this hc cheers you up extra ! ♡

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

♡ 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳

✧ Your first kiss with Lucifer is explosive.

✧ Lucifer is hard to pin down. Constantly, infuriatingly, he seems to conveniently miss your attempts to make things official. You know that the romantic tension between the both of you could be cut with a knife, but Lucifer proves too prideful and stubborn to let you have what you want. It’s as if he’s having his fun making you chase him or deciding when you get your way.

✧ The study was quiet, the dusk fading behind the stained glass windows, and you had finally caught another moment alone with Lucifer. He takes off his gloves and smiles at you. “It’s late. You should be preparing for bed.”

“Enough,” you mutter, pressing yourself against his front. You had had enough of his games, of him thinking that he gets to decide when you make your move, as if the relationship between the both of you was nothing more than a chess game.

“Excuse me?” Lucifer asks, crimson eyes alight with amusement and a fire that you’ve never seen before. You find yourself cornered with your back against his desk, almost pinned in place by that gaze. He rests a hand on your waist almost expectantly.

“Enough of your excuses, Lucifer.” The kiss you pull him into by his collar is fiery. Immediately, both of Lucifer’s hands grip your waist to pull you close, his lips deepening the kiss with an almost frightening intensity. The facade he had put up crumbles immediately; he’s waited for this for too long, he’s wanted you for even longer. The control he clings to like a lifeline relaxes, and it almost seems as if he lets you take charge this time, as if you’ve proven yourself worthy.

And there are no more excuses from him.

♡ 𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯

✧ Neither of you expect your first kiss with Mammon. It’s an impulsive decision, easily the best one you have ever made.

✧ Mammon doesn’t tiptoe around the issue, and it’s clear that he fully expects himself to be your man. However, it isn’t easy for him to fill the role when he thinks consciously about it, getting flustered the moment he thinks too hard about the affection you give him— it’s insanely endearing. You just wish something could give him that push to really pursue you.

✧ “Unbelievable! The way that jerk thinks he can talk to ya!” Mammon’s chattering is incessant, still obviously incensed about the way other demons had treated you earlier. Diavolo’s transfer student idea was genius, but it would take more than a couple of humans and angels to convince most demons to treat them with respect.

“Well, The Great Mammon was there to save me, at least.” You smile, wrapping your arm around his.

Mammon laughs proudly. “Damn right! Maybe you should give me a little reward for it, hm?”

“You’re the one who’s supposed to give the people he likes free money,” You poke at him, but can’t help but admire the way his eyes shine with triumph, and the way his grin is just so goofy and handsome. Thoughtlessly, you lean in until your noses nearly touch. “But I think I can do that.”

His cheeks flush red, but before he can stutter something out, he closes the distance between you with an eager smile. His lips are greedy, claiming yours as he throws an arm around your shoulders to show everyone around you just who you belong with.

♡ 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯

✧ Your first kiss with Leviathan makes his heart nearly collapse whenever he thinks about it.

✧ There was always that barrier between you and Levi; being the embodiment of envy makes him unintentionally drive you away when you want nothing more than to show him that he is just as good as those he envies. His skittishness around topics of romance and physical affection is the sweetest thing, but you wonder if either of you would ever be brave enough to take the leap.

✧ “Look at them,” Levi laments, and you cross your arms, knowing what was about to happen. It was fairly easy to predict when he would start his pity parties, especially after the two of you had begun to grow closer. You had suggested watching something together to de-stress after a long day at RAD, but maybe the rom-com you had chosen wasn’t the best idea.

“They’re… holding hands,” you say blankly.

“Yeah! It’s not fair, he’s such a shitty nerd but the hot girl likes him anyway, it’s not realistic! That never happens in-”

You hold his hand. He goes quiet.

Levi huffs, a soft blush spreading across his face. Under the blankets, his leg starts to jiggle out of nervousness as he looks away. “Okay, now- now you’re just making fun of me. But seriously, they’re kissing! That kind of stuff doesn’t just happen to nerds.”

“Why not?” You smile at him, leaning into his side as you continue holding his hand. Sometimes you wished he could see himself like you see him, or feel the way his antics and his smile makes your heart instantly melt. Stifling a laugh, you watch as his blush grows and his Adam's apple bobs as he swallows nervously. “Some people like that.”

“But who would like a-” The rest of his complaint is muffled as you close the distance between your lips and his, throwing your arms around the back of his neck. You wouldn’t want to hear it anyway. Too stunned to fight it, Levi is still for a moment, before he starts smiling into the kiss and running a hand through your hair. He’s crushed on you for too long to let his shyness hold himself back this time.

♡ 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯

✧ Your first kiss with Satan is possessive and pyre-like.

✧ Satan has a thousand facades— but you see through them all. He certainly has never met someone like you, a mere human with more audacity than most demons. That audacity to touch him and get close to him is what makes you so attractive to Satan. You see him for what he is beyond his rage, and he can’t handle the thought of letting anyone get as enamoured with you as he is. He wants you to be his.

✧ You watch Satan with gentle eyes as he talks. Moments where he puts the masks away are rare but consistent when he’s with you, and you hold his hands as he talks to you about everything that’s on his mind. The smile he gives you is enough to make your heart sing.

“Ah, but I’m talking too much, aren’t I?” He gives your hands a squeeze, bringing them both up to kiss your knuckles gently.

“I like it,” you say quietly. “You aren’t like this with anyone else.”

“What can I say? There’s just something about you…” Satan chuckles, making your cheeks flush pink. He’s enamoured, charmed, devoted, so much so that he can hardly find the words to describe his feelings toward you, and your sweet blush makes him lean forward to gently grasp your chin between his fingers. “Are you… like this with anyone else, ______?”

You lean into his touch with a smile. “Only you.”

Barely a moment passes before his lips are on yours, pulling you into him like the undertow of a rough sea. Satan devotes himself to containing his emotions, his devastating wrath and desires, but with you… he allows himself to show who he truly is. And with the way you do nothing but kiss back just as hard and clutch at the front of his shirt, he knows you can handle it.

♡ 𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘶𝘴

✧ Your first kiss with Asmodeus makes your heart ache like nothing ever has.

✧ It’s all too easy to worry when you start falling for Asmodeus. With the way he acts around other demons and the succubi he’s so popular with, there’s hardly a reason to think that you would be special to him in any way. It frustrates him when he tries to prove time and time again how genuine his feelings are towards you, but you simply never seem to get the point. He wants you. He wants to be with you and can hardly bother looking at anyone else, he just wishes you could see that.

✧ “You’re always so gorgeous, you know that?” Asmo threads a gentle hand through your hair, brushing locks away from your face as you smile at him skeptically, brow cocked. It wouldn’t surprise you if he was sucking up simply because he needed your help with something.

“Alright, you can stop with the flattery. What do you want?”

Asmo giggles and wraps his arms around you. The familiar scent of his perfume and the warmth of his embrace still makes your heart race, no matter how many times you’ve told your heart to stop reacting that way every time he pulls you close. “Just you.”

“How many witches have you used that line on today?”

“If I wanted a witch,” You feel Asmodeus kiss your head and rub your back tenderly, and all you can do is gaze up at him through your lashes as his voice softens, his bright amber eyes giving you such a deeply yearning gaze. “I would go to one. I want you, ______, is that so hard to believe? I don’t want to look at or touch anyone else anymore.”

When he leans in, you don’t have it in you to resist. His soft lips fit perfectly against yours, as if the two of you were meant to be from the beginning, and your heart aches.

♡ 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘻𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘣

✧ It feels like it was just meant to be; your first kiss with Beelzebub feels as natural as breathing.

✧ Beelzebub has always been the brother you felt the most comfortable around, and the two of you seem to just fall into a routine as you get closer. You don’t need him to say the unspoken feelings between the both of you to know how much he cares for you. Beel says it enough in the way he always wraps an arm around your shoulders, or gives you a slice of his favourite cake during dinner, or lets you lean on him during movie night.

✧ “______… It needs more sugar,” Beel mumbles as he licks some cookie batter off his finger. You had enlisted his help with baking since Luke had shared an easy recipe for the human world cookies you were craving, but you’re beginning to think it had been a mistake.

But you’re weak, and it’s all worth it to be able to watch Beel adorably taste the batter whenever he can.

“You’re going to get a tummy ache.” Smiling, you come over to take the mixing bowl from him.

“No way,” Beel mumbles. He pats his stomach with the sweetest smile. “Iron stomach.”

“It didn’t save you when you ate Solomon’s cooking, did it?” You can’t help but tiptoe to ruffle his hair, before offering him a bottle of cocoa powder and a silver sieve. “Wanna help me with the cocoa? And then we’re all done!”

“Of course. Anything for you.” Beel takes the items and leans down, and before you can think about it, you lean up to give him a sweet kiss in thanks for his help. Beel hesitates in pulling away for a moment, only to return to leaning down to give you kiss after kiss, and you can’t help but let out a giggle. Maybe he’s finally found something other than food to be obsessed with.

♡ 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳

✧ The way Belphegor first kisses you is magnetic, the slow kind of kiss that makes time slow and your mind drift. As far as you’re concerned, the world around you might as well not exist.

✧ There is hardly a spark between you. Belphegor’s feelings for you start as a slow burning candle flame that ends in a wildfire. The both of you give yourselves time to heal and time to understand each other. You spend your days apart before you drift back to each other, until it’s hard for the both of you to contain your feelings. Belphie’s feelings for you consume him, and he struggles to find the right time to reveal them to you.

✧ You throw your leg over Belphie’s hip with a sleepy smile as you snuggle into the sheets with him. He returns the smile in an equally sleepy but adoring fashion, fingers slowly tracing patterns into your back.

“Clingy,” he mumbles, as if he isn’t the one with his arms wrapped firmly around you.

You mumble, “You’re so warm, I can’t help it. Maybe I should just stay like this forever.”

“Fine by me, ______.” Belphie chuckles teasingly. “Just know that I’m never ever going to let you get up again.”

“Yeah? I think that sounds like heaven.” Your joke makes Belphie laugh, and in the quietness of his room, he leans in to press a gentle kiss to your lips. It starts as an innocent brush of his lips against yours, but you’re quick to press your lips against his firmly. The way his legs tangle into yours and the way he kisses you like you’re the only thing keeping him breathing makes you forget the world around you. Belphie keeps you like that, refusing to let you go.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

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giveemhales · 5 years ago

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Moodboards for Sterek AUs: 10/?

For @averystereksummer Day 6

AU where Stiles has a fear of storms

For the prompt: “How’s the weather?”

With a ficlet! Content warning for anxiety and panic attacks.

Stiles was afraid of storms.

Maybe that’s putting it wrong, because there’s a lot of things Stiles was afraid of that he could deal with. Really, he had a fear of storms, “astraphobia.” He hated it.

He wished he could say there was a reason. That his mother died on a stormy night or that the thunder reminds him of gun shots.

But there was no rhyme or reason. It was nothing more than a phobia, an anxiety disorder, an evolutionary flaw.

He’s always been good at hiding it, though. When he was younger, he hid it because he was made fun enough as is, he didn’t want to give any other material for his bullies to work with. Not even Scott ever figured it out. He could usually handle rain, but when there was thunder, he’d always make an excuses to go home, whether he was at school or on a sleepover. He’d usually say he was sick, and his mother was understanding enough that she’d be willing to take him home. She would build them a blanket fort and put on way too loud cartoons to help drown out the noise. Sometimes she would hold him closely, and remind him the thunder couldn’t hurt him, and that she would always protect him.

Then his mother died, and his fear got worse. It wasn’t just that storms were harder to handle without his mother, it was also the way his mental health had deteriorated after her death. His anxiety was significantly worse, and things that once scared him would now trigger full blown panic attacks.

His father got him a therapist to help him, but the therapist was mostly focused on his grief and how to handle his panic attacks. He had coping mechanisms now, but he still tried to avoid being out when there was a storm at all cost. Avoidance wasn’t necessarily healthy, but it was what worked for him. He continued to claim illness, and would curl up under the covers, blasting music through his earbuds.

He had even managed to hide this fear from the pack, which he’d say was pretty impressive considering most of the members could quite literally smell fear.

He religiously checked the weather every day, using multiple sources for the daily and weekly forecasts. If there was a forecast for a thunderstorm at any point, he’d make up plans (which was difficult when dealing with people who can hear when you’re lying, but he had perfected the art of half truths, always using something like “having homework” or “wanting to see his dad,” which were all technically true). So far, he’d only been outside in a thunder storm with the pack once, and they were fighting wendigos so they didn’t really question his scent of fear or him running off to his Jeep as soon as the creatures were declared dead. That was one of the few times in his life he had been unable to avoid being outside during a thunderstorm, and the resulting panic attack had been so bad he hadn’t been able to go to the school the next day (which was easy enough to get away with, since the rain had also resulted in a cold).

He’s not really sure why he spends so much time and energy hiding this fear like it’s a dirty secret. Maybe part of it was that he knew he couldn’t avoid thunderstorms, but he could try to avoid being around people during thunderstorms. It gave him something to focus on, a feeling of control.

Honestly though, he knew it was mostly his own insecurities. He was at a good place with the pack, and he doesn’t really think any of them would be malicious if they were to find out. But he knew that he was just human, that he was weaker than the rest of them, and he strived everyday to prove he could keep up. He couldn’t show any weaknesses because he couldn’t let them know he was weak.

So he had basically perfected the art of keeping his phobia hidden away from the rest of the world.

But one of the worst things about storms was that you don’t always know when they’re coming. And that’s what led to his current predicament.

He was in the car with Derek after they had met with a pack outside of town. The pack was new to the area and hoping to make an alliance. With Derek the alpha and Stiles the emissary, it was customary for the two of them to make negotiations.

The meeting had been fine. A simple agreement had been made and then Derek and Stiles made the hour long drive back to Beacon Hills, specifically to Derek’s loft where Stiles’ Jeep was waiting.

Derek had insisted that they drive together, and had refused to go in Stiles’ “death trap” (more like because he was a dick), so Stiles was now seated in the passenger side of the camaro. And that was fine, Stiles honestly enjoyed spending time with Derek. But it was about half an hour outside of Beacon Hills that he noticed the grey clouds.

Stiles had checked multiple weather sources that morning like he always did, and none of them had mentioned a chance of storms. A couple had mentioned a chance of rain that night, but it was still afternoon. There was no reason to expect a risk of storms.

But Stiles had obsessively studied storms enough to know what storm clouds looked like. And right now there were definitely storm clouds in the direction of Beacon Hills.

Fuck.

“How’s the weather? I mean, do you know? I feel like with your special werewolf senses you should be able to tell. You know, smell when a storm is coming. That would actually be pretty cool, it would make you a great meteorologist. Although meteorologists aren’t as bad as people make them seem. They actually have a 90% accuracy five days in advance. And on the actual day are usually within 2.5 degrees in their predictions. That’s pretty impressive. But obviously they don’t always get it right. Clearly, since they hadn’t said there would be rain today and-“

“Stiles!” Derek barked, cutting him off. “No, I can’t “sense” the weather. But from those clouds over there I’d say it’s probably going to rain.”

Stiles nodded. “Yeah. Looks like it. That’s cool. Cool cool cool cool cool.”

Derek side-eyed him, but at this point he was used to Derek’s seemingly constant annoyance with him.

His leg began bouncing, as it usually did when he was nervous. Derek was clearly annoyed, but fortunately didn’t say anything.

A couple minutes later, the drizzle began, and Derek turned on the windshield wiper. Stiles looked down at his phone which had the directions. Still 20 minutes to go. He desperately hoped that they would get back before any thunder started, but it seemed unlikely.

Stiles leaned over and began fiddling with the radio. He eventually found a station playing heavy metal, and turned it up as loud as it would go, hoping it would be enough should there be any thunder.

Derek cursed and immediately shut off the radio. “What the fuck is your problem, did you forget about the werewolf hearing?” He grumbled, pawing at his ears with one hand still on the wheel.

“Just wanted some music, you’re so quiet, you know. Thought we could liven things up.”

Derek just growled in reply, which was pretty par for the course for him, so Stiles didn’t bother saying anything else.

Pretty soon, the rain started getting heavier, pouring down loudly on the windshield. Derek increased the speed of the windshield wiper, but seemed unbothered.

Stiles opened his mouth before closing it again. He honestly wanted to just explain to Derek why he was being so weird. Derek wasn’t the type to judge, and would probably even do what he could to be accommodating.

But at the same time, he couldn’t think of worse person to find out about his fear. Besides the fact that Derek was one of the strongest, bravest people he had ever met, Stiles had also been pining after him for years. He knew Derek had seen him as the hyperactive, token human, and even if Stiles now had a spark and Derek had accepted him as the pack’s emissary, Stiles didn’t want to risk revealing anything that might ruin their progress. He knew Derek would never feel the same about him as he did, and he was okay with that, but he was absolutely not okay with Derek ever viewing him as lesser. He wouldn’t, couldn’t be seen as weak.

So Stiles kept his mouth shut, and tried to just focus on anything other than the impending storm.

That worked out until the thunder came.

The first roll of thunder hit when they were about 10 minutes from the loft, and Stiles’ composure began to crumble.

He felt his heart beat quicken, his palms sweat, his breath become raggedy and stomach begin to cramp. These were standard symptoms for his anxiety, but not something he ever truly got used to.

He tried to focus on his breathing, but was interrupted by Derek.

“What’s wrong? Your heart is pounding and your breathing sounds weird,” Derek said, the concern clear in his voice. Stiles supposed that after all the terrifying shit he had been through, it would make sense that Derek wouldn’t make the connection between his fear and the thunder.

Stiles clenched his fists and closed his eyes, trying to block everything out. “Nothing. I’m fine, dude,” he ground out.

He could practically hear Derek rolling his eyes, but for once he ignored the “dude” comment. “You’re clearly not fine, I can smell the anxiety rolling off you. If you’re in danger or if something’s wrong, I need to know.”

“I said I’m fine. Just drop it,” Stiles knew Derek would be able to hear the lie, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He was focusing too much energy on trying to calm down to come up with a plausible lie for why he was acting the way he was.

“Please, Stiles, I just want to help you,” Derek’s voice was softer than Stiles had ever heard, and he hated the way it made his eyes tear up. He turned and rested his forehead on the window, trying to focus on the cool feeling.

Stiles was surprised Derek didn’t pry further, but instead grabbed his hand.

Stiles thought about the fact that his palms were sweaty and probably pretty gross, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. It wasn’t even because he had been dreaming of holding Derek’s hand for years. It was because it helped ground him.

He tried to focus on touch so he could block out the flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. He tried to think about the warmth of Derek’s hand, and his mother’s voice when she reminded him the storms couldn’t hurt him. He counted his breaths, and reminded himself they were only a few minutes away. And as soon as they were back, he could get in his Jeep, blast his music, and try to ignore the outside world.

They arrived to the loft, and Stiles vaulted out of the Camaro before it was even in park (although a small part of him was reluctant to let go of Derek’s hand).

He ran as fast as he could to the Jeep to try to avoid the worst of the storm. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to make it to the Jeep before he was being grabbed by Derek (honestly, fuck werewolf speed, that’s just not fair).

“Stiles, I need you to tell me what’s wrong. I can’t just let you leave if you’re in danger!”

One of the symptoms of anxiety that is less talked about is that heightened anxiety makes a person prone to emotional outbreaks. Maybe that’s why he lost it at that moment. Or maybe it had been building up for years, the anger and shame and fear finally boiling over. Or maybe he just wanted somebody to know, because he was so tired of being alone.

Whatever the reason was, Stiles finally let it all out.

“Oh my god, I’m not in danger. Nothing is going to happen to me and I logically know that but I can’t help it. I’m terrified of storms. Is that what you wanted me to say?” Stiles was yelling, even though he was sure Derek could hear him perfectly well, but he couldn’t stop. “I’m terrified of how loud the thunder is, how I can barely hear myself think over the noise. I’m terrified of lightning even though the likelihood of being struck is one in a million. I’m terrified that I can’t always prepare for storms and that I have no way to control the weather. And I know it’s a fucking stupid fear. And that’s why I’ve tried so hard to hide it. But I feel like I can’t breathe. And you probably don’t know what that’s like, you probably don’t have stupid fears and constant anxiety because you’re the bravest person I know. But you know now so please just drop it.”

Stiles was panting by the end of his rant. He wanted to turn around, to go to his car, just like he said he wanted, but the masochist in him needed to see how Derek was going to react.

“Do you really think I’ll judge you for that? You think I don’t feel afraid? I’m scared every day. I’m afraid I’m going to fail as an alpha. I’m afraid I’m going to lose everything again. Hell, I’m afraid every second I’m around you.”

“What? Why would you be afraid around me?” Stiles asked incredulously, fairly certain Derek was just making it up to make him feel better.

“Because I’m afraid I’m finally going to break and kiss you.”

Stiles isn’t sure what Derek saw in Stiles’ slack-jawed expression, but evidently it was an invitation, because the next thing Stiles knew, there were lips on his own.

Derek’s were wet from the rain, but still warm. The kiss was soft and tender, and everything Stiles had ever wanted.

Unfortunately, it was still storming, and Stiles jumped back just a moment later when there was a roar of thunder and crack of lightning.

Derek looked stricken, clearly drawing the wrong conclusion.

Stiles was quick to correct him. “As amazing as that kiss was, I can’t- I need to be alone right now.”

Derek looked relieved, and reached out to Stiles. “Do you- You’re welcome in the loft if you’d prefer.”

Stiles usually preferred to be alone during storms so no one could see his vulnerability, but the Jeep was also usually his last resort. The loft would be much quieter, so he nodded and took Derek’s hand.

Up in the loft, Derek grabbed Stiles a towel to dry himself since he was dripping everywhere. After he dried off, he went ahead and wrapped himself in a blanket and curled up on the couch. “Do you mind if I turn on the TV? Noise helps.” He was still shaking, but felt himself calming down. Hopefully if he put on the TV, he could try to forget about the storm.

Derek nodded and then paused. “I can leave if you’d like but if it would help... Would you mind if I just held you?”

After years of keeping his fears private, Stiles’ instinct was to ask him to leave. But he remembered how he would feel when his mom would hold him during storms. He remembered how his fears had quietened when Derek had kissed him. He remembered all the reasons he fell in love with Derek, and how safe he made him feel.

He nodded.

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yea-no-thank-you-nope · 4 years ago

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The Philosophy of Dr. Stone

My intentions for this essay are not to try and persuade you into thinking Senku is an awful person and whoever thinks like this is selfish and childish. I’m very sorry if I did come across as that. I do believe Senku is right in some aspects like the whole “leveling the playing field” thing and the curiosity humans naturally have towards science. I just think that everyone should not be unpetrified, that there should be laws in place on science to make sure it’s not unnecessarily cruel or harmful, and that in this situation it would be better to try and rebuild humanity better than in the past. Both Senku and Tukasa are flawed in their way of thinking. Humanity cannot survive with only one in power, shaping the world to what they want.

Now I wanted to say this at the start but I absolutely love Dr. Stone, this essay is not a barrage of the story and how it’s garbage or anything or that anyone is. This is not an attack but an invitation to a discussion. I’m making this essay because I appreciate the story and think it is so incredibly interesting. This essay is constructive criticism so the story can be better and so people can discuss the topics and the opinions they have of them, basically just an excuse to make people talk about this awesome story. I also have not read the manga, I’ve only watched the anime so if you decide to respond please do it very vaguely. I’m fine if you talk about the new arguments brought up but not ok if you spoil the show so please be careful.

I’m going to begin with psychology because that’s my jam and I obsess over psychological topics and discussions. I am by no means a professional but I haven’t heard anyone point out or talk about the ideas and opinions I have, so I’ll just do it. The psychology in Dr. Stone is incredibly thought provoking and makes the audience take a close look at their society and the people around them. What would you do if all of humanity was turned to stone and when you wake up all evidence of humans has corroded away except for the statues of said people scattered everywhere? What would you do if the world was basically reset, including humanity? What would you do?

That in-and-of itself is exiting. It's fun to think of what you would do in such an radial situation. With that the audience can automatically empathies with the cast of characters and their versions of how they decide to handle the situation. Senku’s choice is to unpetrify everyone and bring humanity back to the modern age. This may be what most people would do, I don’t know for sure but I haven't heard a lot of people who actually disagree with his point of view so I’m just assuming. This is like the textbook, basic ideology a human could have. All humans have that basic instinct to save as many people as possible, it just makes sense. This and the fact that Senku is google reincarnated makes him the perfect protagonist for this story. People may not be able to empathies with a scheming scientific genius but they can empathies with his desire to save everyone just like in any other Shonen anime. It’s easy to think this way and it's understandable, but that doesn't mean it’s right.

On the other hand we have Tsukasa. He is, to put it simply, the complete opposite to Senku. He is still smart but is not a walking talking Alexa and is incredibly strong. He believes that they shouldn't bring back everyone and instead pick and choose who to unpetrify. He thinks that bringing back humanity to the way it was will only cause destruction, war, power imbalances, and greed. Now you may call this a “hot take” but I came across some misunderstandings on Tsukasa’s stand. He does not disagree with science, he disagrees with Senku. He does not think that science itself is the root of all human evil, he thinks humans are. Now you may be asking “How do you know that for sure?”, well, why would he compliment Senku on his knowledge of science if he hates it? The only time I can remember him saying anything bad about science is when he was talking about guns, bombs, and other weapons of mass destruction. But it’s clear that he only brought that up to persuade Senku in not reviving the greedy and the ones who will use them to oppress and kill others. Again, just like with Senku, the audience can sympathize and understand this character and their actions. No one wants to see another in pain and surely does want anyone to die, they want to save everyone.

Senku and Tsukasa are on the absolute opposite side of each other but are still on the same coin. They both want the best for humanity but have 2 conflicting viewpoints. Now it would be incredibly easy to just pick a side and argue for that side and why it’s right but I don’t think people see that both of those are very flawed ideals and although in theory they could work, in practice both of them fall apart. If Senku gets his way and everyone is revived and basically back to the way the world was, humanity will get right back on track to the destruction of the world. We were already on that track before the petrification. Scientists predict that 2050 is basically the doomsday year. In 2050 there will not be enough food to feed us all due to overpopulation and global warming is getting worse and worse by the second. If we don’t take drastic steps to stop it then the world is on track towards an early ice age and even the destruction of the entire planet. But in this universe that exact thing happened (the drastic steps not the destruction of the world). With all of humanity frozen in an instant all pollution creation stopped, the furnaces burning coal died out, and over hunting/ over deforestation ceased in an instant. I’m not a professional scientist so I don’t know if 3,000 years is actually enough time for the world to completely reset but I do know that with the sudden halt on human activity could allow the earth to completely heal.

So the issue with Senku’s viewpoint seems to be that he viewed the modern age as a utopia of sorts which makes sense, it’s the peak of science and he loves science. Senku was born physically weak and preferred to use his brain over his muscles. He viewed science as a way to “level the playing field”, and he’s not wrong. It definitely levels the playing field but that’s only if they have access to it, it does not work if the people who don’t need it are the only ones who can have it. In primitive society (I’m mainly going to focus on Native American culture and history because that’s the one I know the most) many people were born with deformities or any other phenomenon that now-a-days is seen as a disability, but they were just as important as anyone else in the group. Back then it didn’t matter. Yes you were more likely to be killed or die by natural occurrences but not by other people. By eliminating the dangers of nature, people shift their hatred onto other people. This is exactly the reason that in so many stories 2 opposing groups come together to defeat a common enemy. That's where the phrase “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Now to be fair the show never really touches on the topic of nature being dangerous, it always seems to just be humans. It only ever sturs away from this in situations like the acid lake that gives off toxic fumes, but the show doesn't really want to focus on that aspect, which is fine, if they want to tell a story about the people then they can, I mean that's what I’m writing about now.

Senku wants to bring back everyone because he knows that that is the fastest way to create all the technology. If you remember from before I touched briefly on how the world was going to shit was in part due to overpopulation. I think you know where I’m going with this. Even with the earth reset and nature covering all, that is still not going to be enough food for all of them. It has already been proven that there is no way to sustain this large of a human population. The reason we are not all dying of starvation right now is because most of the food produced can barley be considered food at all, the other food is genetically altered, and it all goes to only one group of people. You see, when I asked “why are we not starving to death” I was technically lying, we are. Not counting the small percentage of the population that can afford all the food, we are starving to death, and it is by our own hands. The world we live in today is not a utopia. Yes we have science that can save lives but those are made by the countless deaths of rats, monkeys, and so many other animals we use as “lab rats”.

I’m not saying all this to make you feel bad, I’m bringing it up to try and explain why what Senku is doing terrifies me. I couldn’t imagine how it would feel to wake up to a fresh new start on life only to find out someone wants to rebuild it all again. He is not learning from history, he is repeating it. That is why Senku’s idea of what he wants the world to be is great on paper but crumbles apart when put into practice.

I have also heard that the reason Senku wants to bring back the modern age is because he just wants to go to space, making it a selfish act on his part. I thought this was incredibly interesting and relatable and really made me look at his character differently. This would be another way of thinking about the petrifying if humanity, some would see it as this horrible event that ruined their lives and again, this makes sense. All Senku ever wanted to do was go to space. That’s why he learned science in the first place. He spent his entire life working towards that goal and right when he could have had it, it disappeared. I don't blame him for wanting everything to go back to where it was and now I really want to see if this is addressed or challenged in the story. I want to see Senku come to terms with this and finally get closure, not only on the situation but also his dad. Basically I just want him to cry god dammit! Let him cry! Let him be healthy and accept his emotions!

Speaking of emotions, it’s well known that he hides his and if you have been screaming at me about that fact, I know. I understand that until this point I may have been portraying Senku as this selfish greedy and mean person who doesn't care about humanity at all and I’m sorry if it did. That description does not fit him at all. It’s subtle but when you see it you can’t unsee it. As mentioned before he was born very weak and so couldn’t really protect himself from others, this is by no means a disability but close enough to where he can understand the pain and struggles that people who are disabled face. When he made glasses for the 2 villagers he stated that science levels the playing field. That little interaction reveals that he does care about helping other people and hoping to fix their problems with science. He also further elaborated on his idea with Magma when they were mining. He stated that everyone has a job to do and neither job is better than the other. This shows his understanding of everyone's roles and how, as a species, to thrive we must all work together. This further drills home the point to me that it’s not that Senku is stupid or that he doesn’t care about humanity but that his still a little kid who never really had to go through or see the awful and corrupt side of the world. I hate using this word because I feel like it’s used too much but by all intents and purposes, Senku is privileged. He only seems to know the science of today as this life saving, world altering and fundamentally good concept, not the steps in which it took to get there, how many lives and dead ecosystems it took to get where we are today, and what we are still doing. Don’t forget about the whole global warming thing, mass deforestation, and pollution.

I am going to give 2 examples of how science can be cruel and how it doesn't need to be. I’m going to get into deep stuff here so it’s ok if you skip it. I’m talking about slavery and the experimentation of animals. Do you remember when the U.S.A was tearing down statues? One of them (I don’t know if it was torn down. I just know that it’s in front of a university and people wanted it gone) was a statue of a man who progressed the field of medicine and healthcare immensely, but did so at the expense of specifically black women. He believed that they were incapable of feeling pain and so performed many horrific surgeries and tests on them with no pain killer. Yes he greatly furthered the field of healthcare, but that doesn't make it right and especially not humane. He should not and did not need to do that. We would figure it out on our own. Sure it would probably take a lot more time but that doesn't justify the actions of that man. The other example is an ongoing process that is still in practice today, the experimentation of animals. If you don’t know, before a beauty product or medicine of some sort can enter the market it needs to be checked by the government to see if it is safe for us to use. So companies use monkeys and other animals to test their product on. It is horrific. The scientists treat those animals with no respect or care for the lives of them. It is unnecessary and cruel. We would figure it out on our own. Sure, it probably would take longer, but that doesn't make it right. It’s an excuse.

Senku doesn't seem to know this seeing as how he basically learned everything from scratch with experiments. That’s why I’m saying Senku is naïve and not a cruel monster who doesn't care who gets hurt, as long as it satisfies his curiosity and expands the field of science. I do hope that later down the line the story confronts that fact and we see first hand that he is not willing to do whatever it takes to go back to modern civilization as much he wants us to believe. I want to see him come to terms with this and decide that, with everything, there are rules and boundaries. This is also why I keep harping back to how I want to see this explored in the story. Senku clearly wants to help humanity and cares for others. He has morals and so has boundaries. I want to see him pushed to the edge, to see just how far he will go in the name of science and for the bettering of humanity. At the end of the day he is still human, everyone is.

Tukasa’s turn! The issue with Tukasa’s view point is simply because he thinks all young people are good people. This is not true. Old people can be good and bad. Adults can be good and bad. Children can be good and bad. It all depends on the person. This is not even mentioning the fact that children can not raise other children. No matter how wise Tukasa is for his age, he can not raise children (and yes teenagers count as children). There's a reason why in every culture all 3 stages of life serve a purpose and depend on each other, one cannot live without the other. He needs good people, not young people to restart humanity.

At first I saw it unfair and one sided how the story constantly depicted Tukasa as an evil person and that he is a tyrant. This was until it was pointed out to me that the reason for that is because Senku is the main character so the audience sees through his perspective, so if he sees Tukasa as evil, the audience will too. Even with that I understand why people will not like Tukasa and so in extension not listen to his argument. I want to give him a chance because he, and by extension the people like him, deserve it. I understand why people don’t though. He smashes the statues of people because he genuinely believes that all are bad and so takes action to protect others, just like Senku who seemed ready to kill Tukasa with the crossbow he made and the gun he was going to use on him, they both thought what they were doing was right. This does not excuse either of their actions, no one to be clear can use this as an excuse, I still want to bring up a fact that I personally think people forget (including myself). The show is set in a post-apocalyptic world. Yes, characters can unpetrify other characters but some are too far gone. In the background we see statues missing limbs and body parts. I was actually surprised and skeptical when it was shown that there were so many perfectly intaced statues Tukasa was able to find. They must be made out of harder rock than I thought. Either way, I know people can survive without certain body parts and I’m not saying they can't. It's just as far as we know, if they attempt to unpetrify someone missing a body part (especially if it’s a leg) they might bleed out instantly and without all the proper equipment needed. Or will the stone heal the stump? If so what if they find the missing part later? Can they reattach it? Can they attach body parts from other people and unpetrify them? What would happen? Would the stone merge the parts together or reject it? The stone is explicitly stated to have healing properties so what would happen? It’s still too early to know and with knowing that information comes from human experimentation and could lead to many lives lost. It was ok with the birds because they were small and still intaced so there was no danger. The point that I’m getting to is that the line is incredibly blurred and the drastic life-and-death situation everyone is in, I wouldn't jump to say Tukasa is a monster. He may be killing people or they could have been dead in the first place, not to mention like I said before it would be impractical and deadly to revive every human being on planet Earth.

This is why I think Tukasa’s plan is flawed. He is only one person and so is limited in his ideas. He thinks that only the young are good people and if only the characters would actually TALK to each other then both of them could see the flaws and work together instead of jumping to conclusions. I hope now that Senku and Tukasa are friends of sorts that they finally get to do that but again, I don’t know I have not read the manga.

I have also heard (mainly from video essays on YouTube) that, uncoincidentally, people think that Tukasa’s ideals are naïve when I think Senku’s is. I find it amazing that both of us thought the same thing but of the opposite philosophy. The opinions they expressed made me realize something. Because humanity discovered science, it will do so again and again. While I thought it was naïve to simply return to the way things were and not carry any of the emotional baggage needed to at least try and better humanity and learn from the past, someone else thought that it was futile to hinder the scientific process of humanity and go back to hunter-and-gatherers. I did disagree with some things they said, that is to be expected, but I also realized that that is what we have been doing since as far back as the history books go. It was called different names but the idea is still the same. We try to make sense of the world around us. In cultures across the world gods represented the natural world and phenomenon that occurred, it was just by a different name. Those religions and science try to explain the world around them. Why does corn grow? Quetzalcoatl makes them grow. Chlorophyll provides the nutrients necessary to sustain the plant and make it grow by Photosynthesis. Why does it snow? Frau Hole shakes her sheets and some feathers fall out, causing snow. With the evaporation of water leaves the gaseous form in the sky and if it gets cold enough will freeze and fall. It’s all the same thing. Humans are curious by nature and will always be.

The things that I disagreed with was that they didn’t really seem to think that science can coexist with nature, like it’s either one or the other. They explain that Tukasa believes humanity should be more naturalistic but also calls him stupid. I understand his side in thinking there is no way to revert back to being hunter-gatherers and that no matter what, over time people will rediscover science so the effort is futile. What I don’t seem to understand is why we can’t have both? It might seem naïve at first considering everyone only knows a society of science that destroys the world for progress but with a world altering event like the one in the story and a good leader to boot, it is absolutely possible. The world has already changed so much so I don’t see why people wouldn't (not talking about those greedy people and politicians, I’m talking about the average human being). It just seems so cynical of humanity as a whole to give up before even trying. I understand we are all depressed but still. It’s no excuse not to try.

My ideas for what they can do is to live both with nature and science. First set up rules and laws. Everyone can pitch in to create them and vote on which ones should be reinforced so that not one person has too much power and so the people collectively can understand the importance of those laws. Everyone can choose their job to do like black smithing, building, hunting, sewing and other jobs that are needed. With that they can either choose to have a form of currency or not but under no circumstances is anyone allowed to own land. The land is for everyone and the resources are to be shared accordingly. With the issue of the statues, it could be voted on who can be unpetrified. This way we don’t raise the issue with Tukasa and Senku. One thought too narrow minded and the other was too broad. With the voting system everyone gets to assess the needs of the society as a whole and if the person unpetrified turns out to be bad, the blame would not fall on one person but everyone. This eliminates one person having too much power and subsequently the people would not revolt and kick them out of power, putting another in their place and the cycle starts anew. There can still be science, there will just be restrictions on what is acceptable to do or not.

I understand the flaws in my ideas. I know that making everyone agree to certain things is incredibly hard especially when there's no way anyone can really stop people from doing what they want. There is no government already put in place. They need to build one from scratch and make it so that everyone is down with it and will follow it. I also understand that people can be lazy and not know what they want. Some people will choose to be lazy and either not do their job or choose a job that is specifically lazy in nature. People also probably don’t know what job they want to perform, this is especially prevalent in the young. People could also fight over who will be revived. I know many people, including myself, who have people in their life that they love but are not good people or who will probably not survive in the new world. I mean who’s going to tell Becky that we all know she loves her grandfather but he’s racist, a known sex offender, and already has a diet of 20 hamburgers and 50 Gatorades, there is no way we can provide that much food, we don’t even know if he’ll eat it considering he’s use to junk food and we just reinvented bread a week ago. It tastes awful and the bakers are trying their best but no one can make 50 Gatorades . No one sure as hell wants a sex offender or racist around either.

If you want to use my essay in a video or something you are welcome to as long as you credit me. If you want to respond or just talk about this topic feel free to, this is a discussion, not an argument.

#Dr. Stone #drst #dr stone #drs #essay #philosophy #tukasa #senku #senku ishigami

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spidersmiceandeverythingnice · 4 years ago

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Just realized I never posted this during LB3 despite the fact that I had some very Thematic Brainwaves about my Mastersona, Yu, Koyanskaya and of course Diarmuid. Under the read more if you are interested -

Koyanskaya savored the looks on their faces as they beheld the vial.

One dose of antidote. The only contingency plan.

It didn’t take long for the realization to sink in, but Koyanskaya quickly added, “Oh, and don’t even think about splitting it between the pair of you. The poison is well-integrated into your system now. You’ll require the full dosage if you even hope to have a chance at surviving.”

Goredolf’s pale, sweating face was a special treat. Either he was a bigger idiot than Koyanskaya had thought, or he was a true mage, who didn’t realize that Zoe Venier would probably let him take the antidote without much fuss if he only had the sense to ask.

Poor girl, Koyanskaya thought, smiling faintly as she watched Zoe attempt to school her features into stoicism. It didn’t come naturally to her, that was for sure. She was a quiet girl, normally, though she’d been known to display quite the temper. But in the face of her own death... Oh, she was frightened. Even after all this time, after all she’d survived. Perhaps she was more frightened than ever before.

But the ensuing squabble quickly lost its spice for Koyanskaya. Goredolf suggested that they duel with rock-paper-scissors. Zoe, with a wry, faint smile, accepted. While they haggled over terms, Koyanskaya decided that she ought not to waste her time. Bound, sitting in the dirt, surrounded by enemies, fresh out of the eternal Shi Huangdi’s torture chambers - it wasn’t like she had anything else to do but gather more intel in her condition. Even if she would inevitably turn against Chaldea later, she should learn all she could about such a valuable client.

There were many Servants with Zoe this time - a surprising number, actually, considering the amount of mana it would likely take to sustain them. Given her present condition, she surely was feeling the strain of it. But of the motley crew, there was only one that Koyanskaya didn’t really know yet.

And just her luck, he stood over her side, guarding her.

Diarmuid ua Duibhne, Lancer. According to the records that they’d obtained from Chaldea, he was one of Zoe Venier’s original three Servants. He was not spectacular, a thoroughly average hero from an obscure legend. Koyanskaya wasn’t in the business of underestimating anyone but even she took one look at his perfect, beautiful face and dismissed him.

But he’d changed.

He had not disappeared, nor had Zoe re-summoned him. He had simply changed at some point, not long after Koyanskaya had left the Scandinavian Lostbelt. Rather than the famous twin spears, he now carried two blades, one of which was nearly as tall as he was and radiated a positively demonic aura. His combat parameters seemed to have expanded somewhat due to the class change, but otherwise, there was nothing different about him. But a normal Servant changing themselves was impossible, and this was doubly true for Diarmuid ua Duibhne, who had been defined by his curses, if by nothing else.

Koyanskaya had been wrong to ignore him, that was for sure.

But she was big enough to admit that. Now it was time to have some fun.

Eyeing him, she spoke with a sweet idleness. “You know, I really have to wonder if she’s feeling the affects of the poison or not.”

Diarmuid kept his eyes squarely on Zoe. It didn’t take a genius detective to know that she was his ultimate weakness, in all the ways that mattered.

“I mean,” Koyanskaya continued, with a smile. “What’s her body count at now? Well, the last one is easy, just ten thousand, but we never did get an accurate estimate of the Yaga population, come to think of it. Does it count if they were technically beasts? What do you think?”

He didn’t even react to her words. It was not in Koyanskaya’s nature to crave attention from beautiful men, but the silent treatment annoyed her. It almost wounded her pride.

“In any case, do you want to hear my theory?” Koyanskaya looked up, putting all her weight into her gaze. “I think that - despite all the blood on her hands - Zoe simply believes that everything she’s done has been completely justified. That’s why she isn’t showing any symptoms. Can you imagine? Obliterating entire worlds, entire cultures, erasing it from existence, from memory. For that not to bother her in the slightest - it’s chilling! Do you think that maybe she even enjoys - “

“It seems to me,” said Diarmuid, “that you fundamentally misunderstand who we are.”

Koyanskaya smiled. “Oh?”

“For example,” Diarmuid went on, still watching Zoe and Goredolf. They were nearly ready to begin their matches now. “When you mocked the Director before, I thought you had simply picked him out to be an easy target. Someone with his disposition must be child’s play for you, naturally. But now you’ve admitted that you don’t understand the first thing about Zoe, either.”

“Why, perish the thought!” Koyanskaya simpered, baring her teeth in a wicked grin. “I pride myself on my information-gathering efforts, you know.”

Diarmuid shrugged. “I would have assumed that you weren’t capable of understanding humanity, given what you are. But if you can’t even grasp the basics about someone like Zoe, then maybe we don’t need to be worried about you after all.”

But this was too good to be true. Koyanskaya tried to think back - had she ever revealed to Chaldea that she was a Beast? Perhaps Holmes had figured it out, or even the little Da Vinci, but this was the first time they had all been together since Shi Huangdi had separated the group, and they were preoccupied with the antidote. There was no way that Diarmuid could have known her true nature, unless he had recognized it on his own.

“I guess that’s true,” said Koyanskaya. “I wouldn’t know her nearly as well as someone like you. After all, you’re her loyal Servant - the perfect knight who services her every need.”

At last, Diarmuid deigned to look at her. His expression was withering. Not outright murderous, but he definitely contemplated the idea of drawing his swords. And in her current condition, Moralltach might even damage her if he really threw his weight into the strike. But naturally, he wouldn’t. His honor wouldn’t allow him to strike a prisoner, and to strike such a powerful blow would drain too much mana from his precious Zoe.

Speaking of which, they seemed to be at the last round. Zoe was patting Goredolf’s arm reassuringly as he blabbered.

“Look! They’re nearly done. Aren’t you going to stop them?”

Diarmuid sighed, and faced away from her again. “Forgive me, but may I ask if there’s a point to this conversation?”

“Obviously, Zoe wants to take the antidote herself,” said Koyanskaya, as if he hadn’t spoken. “She’s a pragmatist. I almost admire that about her, you know. But she’ll give the antidote to Goredolf out of fairness - because it’s the right thing to do - even though she knows as well as I do that Chaldea needs its only Master far more than it needs an oaf of a Director. And what? You’re just going to it back and let that happen?”

Predictably, Diarmuid replied. “In fact, her sense of honor is something that I greatly admire about her. And just because you do not recognize the Director’s value doesn’t mean he has none.”

Koyanskaya clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you’re like a fortress. Don’t you ever get tired of playing fair?”

When he didn’t answer her, Koyanskaya pretended to think about her next words for a moment.

“Hmm... well, I guess you’re not totally out of options. I guess if you’re going to let this antidote go to waste, you could always just take her to your father’s house if you can’t find another dose.”

The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

Got him, thought Koyanskaya, and smiled.

“Oh, no, dear me, you’re right,” Koyanskaya went on, barely concealing her elation. “That won’t do. Not really his wheelhouse, I’d say. Well, it’s not as if you don’t have other options. Though, come to think of it, you’ve never really been the type to introduce a girl to your family.”

Diarmuid was staring at her, his mouth a thin line, his eyes unfathomable.

Koyanskaya smirked back. “What? Don’t you think Aengus Og would be just thrilled to have guests? I hear it’s lovely in Tir na Nog this time of year. Well, it’s always lovely, but that’s beside the point, isn’t it?”

The temperature adjusted; Diarmuid’s expression stabilized, and became bored again.

“Congratulations,” he said. “Though I’m not sure what you hope to gain by lording this information over me. I have no power within Chaldea’s internal structure, and I won’t act without my Master’s permission.”

The sarcasm in his voice was simply delicious. Koyanskaya leaned in.

“What I don’t understand is why someone like you would become a Servant in the first place. Why surrender yourself to the Counter Force when you could spend an eternity in paradise? And it’s not as if you could possibly have any reasons to love humanity. You might not have as many curses as our mutual friend Yu, but...”

She waited eagerly for him to respond, but he simply regarded her carefully for a moment. Koyanskaya was thrilled to learn how smart he was. In fact, he suited his Master very well. Quiet and observant. The shadow of the blade. The steady right hand. And he was far less human than he’d allowed Chaldea to believe. Did Zoe even know the truth?

In any case, Koyanskaya hoped that Holmes was listening to their conversation.

“I have no reason to curse humanity,” came Diarmuid’s reply. “Again, you show a lack of understanding. I simply followed the natural course of my fate.”

Goredolf lost the final round of rock-paper-scissors, but Nezha and Mordred held him down so that Da Vinci could inoculate him anyway. While he blubbered thanks and took dramatic, gasping breaths, Koyanskaya watched Zoe Venier. Watched her smile disappear for a moment. Watched her push her glasses up her nose, and twirl a lock of her long hair around her fingers. For a moment, the Master of Chaldea was nothing but a sad, frightened little girl.

And if Koyanskaya had noticed, then surely, so had Diarmuid.

“Oh, what to do, what to do...?” she murmured. A giggle worked its way up her throat, and she had to suppress it. “Now, I say this with all possible manner of feminine delicacy - but you guys are royally fucked. Humanity’s a lost cause, and that’s even if you somehow manage to find a second antidote. Your merry band of heroes hasn’t even gotten to the real Lostbelts yet. If my half-assed assassination attempt can knock you back this far, then how do you expect to face the rest of the Crypters?”

“We’ve faced steep odds before. I have nothing but confidence in Zoe, and in our allies.”

Koyanskaya shook her head. “I seriously can’t believe you. You have a get-out-of-the-apocalypse-free card at your beck and call.”

“That’s not how it works.”

His voice contained a hard edge now. She’d touched a nerve.

“Then, enlighten me. Because you know as well as I do - taking Zoe into the Land of Youth would end all of this. What do you care for humanity’s survival? She would never suffer again. Isn’t that what you wish for?”

She saw his eyes glint, shift for a fraction of a second, and that was how she knew she’d won. No matter how noble he pretended to be, there was still a part of him that had understandable human instincts. Fortunately for his sake, Diarmuid was spared from answering as Zoe herself approached, to engage Koyanskaya in conversation regarding their upcoming plans.

The knight was quiet, and kept one eye on her constantly going forward.

All in all, Koyanskaya considered this a resounding success.

#fate grand order #mastersona #lb3 spoilers #i guess?? idk it's late i'm going to bed goodnight everyone

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marlborodean · 4 years ago

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annotation for my "destiel but it's just one direction playlist," mainly for my sister who hasn't seen supernatural but you guys can read it too if you want :^)

DIANA // 4x01, "Lazarus Rising"

this episode introduces Cas :) Castiel speaks Enochian but when he was trying to speak to Dean he was instead causing radio static and shattering windows :) he gripped Dean tight and raised him from perdition :) he knew all of Dean’s soul just from touching him :) he left his handprint burned into Dean’s skin :)

Notable Lyrics:

how could someone not miss you at all?

i never would mistreat you, no, i’m not a criminal. i speak a different language but I still hear your call

let me be the one to light a fire inside those eyes. you’ve been lonely, you don’t even know me, but I can feel you crying. let me be the one to lift your heart up and save your life. i don’t think you even realize, baby, you’d be saving mine

it’s only been four months but you’ve fallen down so far

i wanna reach out for you, i wanna break these walls

we all need something. if i could hold you, swear i’d never put you down

KISS YOU // 4x07, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester"

the only reason i have for this is the pure tension between Dean and Cas in this ep, which includes Dean staring at Cas's mouth and licking his lips :)

Notable Lyrics:

i just wanna take you anywhere that you like, we could go out any day, any night. i’ll take you there

tell me how to turn your love on. you can get anything that you want

if you want me to, let’s make a move

HEY ANGEL // 4x10, "Heaven and Hell"

in this ep, there is a female angel who is. i mean she’s just there to mirror what Cas will become. she is a fallen angel who rebelled because she fell in love with humanity :) and Cas talks to her, tells her that “for the time, i feel…” later in the show there’s another angel that says Cas’s “true weakness is involved. he’s in love! with humanity" :) also in this ep, the female angel and Dean have sex. clearly if Cas was a woman they would’ve been in a relationship long ago :)

Notable Lyrics:

hey angel, do you look at us and laugh when we hold onto the past? hey angel, tell me, do you ever try to come to the other side?

i wish i could be more like you. do you wish you could be more like me?

i see you at the bar, at the edge of my bed, backseat of my car, in the back of my head

BETTER THAN WORDS // 4x22, "Lucifer Rising"

in this ep, Dean is kept in a beautiful white room (which they call the green room #theatrekidvibes), and everyone understands the tension between Dean and Cas to be needlessly horny :) Cas defies heaven's orders to help Dean :)

Notable Lyrics:

more than a feeling, crazy in love. every time we touch, i’m all shook up. best i ever had, hips don’t lie, you make me wanna—

how deep is your love? god only knows

i don’t know how else to sum it up, there’s no way i can explain your love

everyone tries to see what it feels like, but they’ll never be right

YOU & I // 4x22, "Lucifer Rising"

Castiel literally invented free will. the prophet Chuck couldn’t predict Castiel’s actions :) he said “you guys aren’t in this story!” and Cas replied “we’re making it up as we go” :)

Notable Lyrics:

we can make it ’til the end, nothing can come between you and i. not even the gods above can separate the two of us, nothing can come between you and i. we could make it if we try

EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU // 5x03, "Free to Be You and Me"

in this ep, Castiel thinks he is going to die the next day so Dean takes him out for a fun night :) and Dean says it’s the first time he’s laughed that hard in a long time :)

Notable Lyrics:

you know i’ve always got your back, so let me be the one you come running to. just call my name, i’ll be coming through. on the other side of the world, it don’t matter, i’ll be there in two

there’s something about your laugh that makes me want to have to. there’s nothing funny so we laugh at nothing.

every minute’s like the last so let’s just take it real slow. forget about the clock that’s ticking

you have always been the only one i wanted

i wanted you to know without you i can’t face it

WHY DON'T WE GO THERE // 5x03, "Free to Be You and Me"

same ep, but this is placed here because Dean said to Cas, “there are two things I know for certain. One: Bert and Ernie are gay. Two: you are not gonna die a virgin, not on my watch.” you connect those dots :)

Notable Lyrics:

think about all the places we could go if you five in tonight. just let me set you free

we’ve got all night, and we’re going nowhere. why don’t you stay? why don’t we go there? let’s take a ride out in the cold air, i know the way, why don’t you go there with me?

ONCE IN A LIFETIME // 5x04, "The End"

in this ep, an angel zaps Dean to five years into the future where he meets his future self and future Cas. there was HEAVY subtext that they were together :) at the end of the ep, after he sees his future self die and ultimately destroy the entire world, he is zapped back to present time (where it is safe) and Castiel is there waiting for him at the side of the road in the middle of the night :)

Notable Lyrics:

once in a lifetime, you were mine

when i close my eyes, all the stars align and you are by my side. once in a lifetime, it’s just right. we are always safe, not even the bad guys in the dark night could take it all away

DRAG ME DOWN // 6x20, "The Man Who Would Be King"

this fits anywhere between 4x01 and this ep, which is when. when Dean finds out that Cas had betrayed him and was working alongside the king of hell behind his back :) so as long as this is placed before That Scene, it's fine :)

Notable Lyrics:

i’ve got a fire for a heart, i’m not scared of the dark, you’ve never seen it look so easy. i’ve got a river for a soul, and baby, you’re a boat. baby you’re my only reason

if i didn’t have you, there would be nothing left. the shell of a man that could never be his best. if i didn’t have you, i’d never see the sun

you taught me how to be someone

all my life you stood by me, when no one else was ever behind me. with your love, nobody can drag me down

WOLVES // 6x20, "The Man Who Would Be King"

the war with angels is oncoming, so Cas is trying (trying) to do lots of damage control with that, which means killing angels and demons alike that are after the Winchesters. there's a great scene here :) idk it fits here somehow my brain is too big to be confined by the English language

Notable Lyrics:

in the middle of the night when the wolves come out, they head straight for your heart like a bullet in the dark. one by one, i take them down

i keep on holding tight now, ‘cause your body’s telling me don’t let go

just getting my demons out, wouldn’t ever doubt. your beauty could start a war as you walk in the dining room

i wish it wasn’t true, but the whole world’s trying to get a piece of you, and my heart keeps fighting in this battle of fools

INFINITY // 6x20, "The Man Who Would Be King"

since Cas is trying to prevent the war, much like Aziraphale, he is deemed a failed and fallen angel! :) but then Dean finds out Cas has been working with the king of hell behind his back! :) Cas says "It sounds so simple when you say it like that. Where were you when I needed to hear it?" and Dean replies "I was there. Where were you?" :)

Notable Lyrics:

down to earth, keep on falling when i know it hurts

now i’m one step closer to being two steps from you, when everybody wants you

i was there for you. all i ever wanted was the truth. how many nights have you wished someone would stay?

FOOL'S GOLD // 7x02, "Hello, Cruel World"

i see this as Cas POV as he decides to sacrifice himself and let the Leviathans destroy him, before he leaves Dean ahahaha! i see it in this point in time because Cas loves Dean but assumes Dean doesn't feel the same, but! as we see, Dean keeps Cas's coat (because he loves him)

Notable Lyrics:

i know in my heart, you’re not a constant star. i let you use me from the day that we first met, but I’m not done yet, falling for you. i knew that you turned it on for everyone you’ve met, but i don’t regret falling for you

i know your love’s not real, but that’s not the way it feels. that’s not the way you feel

HALF A HEART // 7x02-7x21

literally every time Cas dies, Dean becomes inconsolable and loses all will to live and succumbs to raging alcoholism :) in season 7, when Cas dies, Dean keeps his jacket. for months. :) also applies to 13x01-13x05

Notable Lyrics:

so your friends [have] been telling me, you’ve been sleeping with my sweater, and that you can’t stop missing me. bet my friends [have] been telling you, i’m not doing much better

i’m missing half of me, and being here without you is like i’m waking up to only half a blue sky. kind of there, but not quite. i’m walking 'round with just one shoe. i’m half a heart without you. i’m half a man at best, with half an arrow in my chest. i miss everything we do. i’m half a heart without you

forget all we said that night, it doesn’t even matter

though i try to get you out of my head, the truth is i got lost without you

GIRL ALMIGHTY // 8x17, "Goodbye Stranger"

very closely tied to the imagery of the episode rather than the story. the bright light as Cas overpowers his brainwashing, Dean kneeling in front of Cas. not to self-promo but watch my Religion AMV to see what i mean!! it's visceral stuff :)

Notable Lyrics:

her light is as loud as many ambulances as it takes to save a savior

am i the only believer? there’s something happening here. i hope you feel what i’m feeling too

i get down on my knees for you

STRONG // 8x17, "Goodbye Stranger"

Castiel has been brainwashed into betraying Dean again, to the point where he was forced to participate in hundreds of simulations where he has to kill Dean :) so when the time comes where he’s told to kill Dean, he suddenly can’t do it :) know why? because Dean tells him “Cas, it’s me. We need you. I need you.” :)

Notable Lyrics:

my hands, your hands, tied up like two ships. my heart, your heart, sit tight like bookends. pages between us written with no end. so many words we’re not saying. don’t wanna wait til it’s gone

i’m sorry if i say ‘i need you’

when i’m not with you, i’m weaker. is that so wrong? is it so wrong that you make me strong?

WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO // 9x03, "I'm No Angel"

Cas loses his grace so now he is human. for some reason i don’t remember, Dean tells him he can’t stay at his place anymore. now Cas is homeless! :) and so Dean regrets it and goes to look for him :) also side note but there is some fan headcanons or theories that Cas had to resort to sex work to make money :/

Notable Lyrics:

counted all my mistakes and there’s only one standing out from the list of the things i’ve done. all the rest of my crimes don’t come close to the look on your face when i let you go.

the taste of your lips on the tip of my tongue is at the top of the list of the things i want

love was something you’ve never heard enough

now i’m searching every lonely place, every corner calling out your name, trying to find you, but i just don’t know. where do broken hearts go?

are you sleeping by yourself? or are you giving it to someone else?

tell me where you go when you feel afraid. tell me, will you ever love me again?

I WANT TO WRITE YOU A SONG // 11x03, "The Bad Seed"

no thoughts only the scene of Dean wrapping a blanket around Cas :)

Notable Lyrics:

i want to write you a song, one that’s beautiful as you are sweet, with just a hint of pain for the feeling that i get when you are gone

i want to lend you my coat, one that’s as soft as your cheek, so when the world is cold, you’ll have a hiding place you can go

everything i need i get from you, giving back is all i wanna do

MOMENTS // 11x23, "Alpha and Omega"

this song is like...every time Dean or Cas is about to sacrifice himself/DIE and they get emotional about it. this is an Exemplary episode that fits well with this song because a) they had time to make this plan, which means they would have time to say goodbyes and be ~intimate~ abt it, and b) the hug towards the end when Cas casually says "I could go with you," offering to DIE alongside Dean :)

Notable Lyrics:

shut the door, turn the light off. i wanna be with you, i wanna feel your love. i wanna lay beside you. i cannot hide this, even though i try.

trembling hands touch skin, it makes this harder. and the tears stream down my face

if we could only have this life for one more day. if we could only turn back time

i’ll be your life, your voice, your reason to be. my love/my heart is breathing for this moment in time. i’ll find the words to say before you leave me today.

don’t wanna be without you

there’s a pile of my clothes at the end of your bed as i feel myself fall, make a joke of it all

NO CONTROL // 12x23, "All Along the Watchtower"

this could honestly go anywhere, but i’m placing it in here in the chronology because it’s Cas charging blindly and headfirst into battle with literal Lucifer to protect Dean :) good moment contextually because before Cas ran away to help this woman give birth, he had a pretty cozy domestic life with Dean :) it's important to note that this does get him killed, which does lead to another grieving wife phase for Dean :)

Notable Lyrics:

beside you i’m a loaded gun. i can’t contain this anymore. i’m all yours, i’ve got no control. powerless, and i don’t care it’s obvious. i just can’t get enough of you. the pedal’s down, my eyes are closed

i don’t want to wash away the night before, and the heat where you laid, i could stay right here and burn in it all day

THROUGH THE DARK // 14x14, "Ouroboros"

this is not about the gay gorgon, folks, it's about the Ma'lak Box. Dean is crushed by the responsibility of having to lock himself in a LITERAL box to prevent Michael (the archangel inside his mind) from taking over

Notable Lyrics:

you tell me that you’re hurt and you’re in pain, and i can see your head is held in shame, but i just wanna see you smile again

i’ll be here for you. i will carry you over fire and water for your love. i will hold you closer, hope your heart is strong enough

i wish that i could take you to the stars. i’d never let you fall and break your heart

you tell me that you hurt, it’s all in vain, but i can see your heart can love again, and i remember you laughing so let’s just laugh again

CHANGE MY MIND // 15x03, "The Rupture"

Dean is being a pissy lil bitch because their child died and Castiel can’t deal with it so he leaves :) there’s a lot of stress in their relationship because they both have horrible communication issues. it boils down to Dean thinking like “i want people to just want to stay instead of leaving. i shouldn’t have to ask for that.” and Cas thinking like “i want people to tell me they want me around. i need that verbalized reassurance.” this is canon :)

Notable Lyrics:

the end of the night, we should say goodbye, but we carry on while everyone’s gone

never felt like this before, are we friends or are we more? as i’m walking towards the door, i’m not sure

if you say you want me to say, i’ll change my mind. ‘cause i don’t wanna know i’m walking away if you’ll be mine. i won’t go

IF I COULD FLY // 15x09, "The Trap"

Dean and Cas have to go to Purgatory to retrieve an Ingredient~ they get separated and the portal is about to close and Dean gets desperate so he gets on his knees and prays to Cas :) closure of 15x03 breakup scene, because Dean says “I should’ve stopped you. You’re my best friend, but I just let you go. ‘Cause it was easier than admitting I was wrong.” :) Dean cries more than one tear, one of his most vulnerable moments in the show (rivaled only by the scene where he tells his mom he hates her). this scene is viewed by many, including jackles, as Dean's love confession especially because he evidently wanted to say something more to Cas's face but Cas cut him off :)

Notable Lyrics:

if i could fly, i’d be coming right back home to you. i think i might give up everything, just ask me to

i hope that you listen, cause i let my guard down. right now i’m completely defenseless

for your eyes only, i’ll show you my heart. i’m missing half of me when we’re apart. now you know me

WALKING IN THE WIND // 15x18, "Despair" and 15x19, "Inherit the Earth"

“Despair” is the episode where Castiel confesses his love too Dean. Dean says “Why does this sound like a goodbye?” and Cas replies “Because it is.” :) reminiscent of the way their son Jack (who is a mirror to Cas) tells Sam and Dean “I'll be in every drop of falling rain, every speck of dust that the wind blows, and in the sand, in the rocks, and the sea.” :)

Notable Lyrics:

if you’re lost, just look for me. you’ll find me in the region of the summer stars

the fact that we can sit right here and say goodbye means we’ve already won

goodbyes are bittersweet, but it’s not the end. i’ll see your face again and you will find me

yesterday i went out to celebrate the birthday of a friend, but as we raised our glasses to make a toast I realized you were missing.

SOMETHING GREAT // 15x18, "Despair"-15x20, "Carry On"

Cas pov for 18 and Dean pov for 20 :) Cas saying "the one thing I want... It's something I know I can't have." :) and then Dean missing and wanting Cas back after he died, saying to God, "Cas. You gotta bring him back," yet again falling back into bad alcoholism and depression and suicidal ideation :)

Notable Lyrics:

i want you here with me like how i pictured it, so i don’t have to keep imagining

the script was written…i want to rip it all to shreds and start again. one day i’ll come into your world and get it right

you’re all i want, so much it’s hurting

TRULY MADLY DEEPLY // Post-Canon mwah!

This is what it would have been like for Dean in the version of Supernatural that totally definitely does exist, in which Jack brought Cas back to life and Dean and Cas were reunited and Dean tells Cas he loves him too and then they live a domestic and safe life and Dean is still shocked every morning that he wakes up next to the love of his life :)

Notable Lyrics:

i can’t believe that you are here and lying next to me

like all those days and weeks and months i tried to steal a kiss, and all those sleepless nights and daydreams where i pictured this

somehow you kicked all my walls in, so say you’ll always keep me

should i put coffee and granola on a tray in bed, and wake you up with all the words that i still haven’t said? and tender touches just to show yo how i feel, or should i act so cool like it was no big deal?

#i think my sister is probably asleep right now so i'll update yall on her response later #i'm insane i'm so sorry #ej.pdf #spn #for lisa!

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bladesquall · 4 years ago

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Nights of Dragons and Genies: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: "Work of the Smith Dragon"

The town of Witherbrand was quite a close-knit community. Despite the numerous species that lived there--from the versatile humans to the aged and experienced elves, to the calm and passive halflings and the boisterous orcs, even the sharp gnomes and the ever-curious goblins, Witherbrand was a very blended town. It wasn't really famous for a lot, but it had representatives of almost every race on the continent of Odiosera.

The fires of the smithy burned bright, as the metal inside of the heat glowed brightly in the dark of the shop. Weapons, armor, tools, horseshoes, and all sorts of objects made from metals decorated the shop. A giant warhammer with a dragon-shaped hammerhead hung from the wall with a sign that said, “Do Not Touch”. The hill dwarf smith, wearing a black mask over his face, a brown apron over his red shirt, and brown pants with black thick boots, grabbed the piece of metal with a black glove-clad right hand and held it over an anvil. The dwarf grabbed his smithing hammer and began pounding away at the hot metal. His hand kept a firm grip on the non-heated part, allowing him to calmly shape the heated metal, turning it into a sword. Once he was satisfied with the shape of the weapon, he quickly turned to a nearby cooling tub and dunked the sword into it.

As the dwarf cooled the weapon, a red-haired human male walked in, wearing a set of fine blue and black clothing, complete with a black cape. He gave the smith an annoyed glare as he didn't look back, and raised an arm to wave.

"One second!" the dwarf called. "Gotta let that project cool." He walked over to the desk, flipped the helmet up, revealing a red-headed dwarf with a pair of thick sideburns and a short mustache that culminated with a short beard. The dwarf greeted, "Welcome to the Forgefang Hall! I'm Gunnar Fireforge. Are you interested in a particular product, or do you have a custom order in mind?"

"Seriously, Gargec?" the noble asked aloud. Gunnar's eyes widened at the name. "Fifteen years since you gave up your position as heir, you could have done anything, been anyone, ruled wherever you pleased in Odiosera, and I find you simply living amongst the lesser beings... as a common dwarf smith? 'Gunnar Fireforge' was the best alias you could come up with? You couldn't even bother creating a noble identity?"

"Stratreo," Gargec frowned. "I should question what you're doing here, but there is a tone of hypocrisy, considering you're disguised as a human, right now."

"Only because Father ordered me to not just burn the Odioseran countryside we allow these weak vermin to occupy down looking for you," Stratreo answered. "And until he either retires, dies, or I make my move to properly challenge him for leadership, his word is the law. Of course, big brother, accidents CAN happen. That is unless you obey his order to assemble." He then pulled a letter from his pocket and handed it to the dwarf.

"Father truly wants me to return?" Gargec asked opening the sealed letter. His eyes scanned the contents of the letter.

My son,

If you are reading this, then Stratreo finally tracked you down after all of this time. You certainly kept quiet when you renounced your title as my heir. You impress, Gargec with your desire for privacy.

But our people's politics have called for an end to this silence, and your exile. I am ordering all members of Tribe Raithwall--you included--to return to Raithwall territory. The fate of our people is on the line, and it's going to require ALL of us to decide this. We will begin the assembly on the first day of the Waxing Cachou Moon, and I'd like my sons to be by my side when we decide this.

Gargec, I know I'm asking a hell of a lot by calling you back, but... I feel that the fate of our people is about to be decided are going to need you to return. I'm not going to ask for you to retake your position as heir. I'm asking you to be a voice of reason in the next coming moons. We will need it, especially once Stratreo finally inherits the position. Please, son... come home.

Raithwall Tultoc

"You weren't the easiest to track down," the human replied as Gargec dropped the letter. "But yes... Clan Raithwall is being summoned together. Now, we can do this the easy way or the fun way. Your choice."

"Just let me add the finishing touch on this project, brother," Gargec said, looking at the scimitar.

"It looks complete to me," Stratreo observed. "Brother, why waste yourself on such insignificant drivel such as these lesser beings' mere cutlery they call 'weapons'?"

"The smaller races have a lot to teach us," Gargec answered, walking over to grab the sword, and held it up to Stratreo. "Tell me something, brother: what do you know about the 'smallfolk'? What trait is each of their races famous for?"

"You ask that like it matters," Stratreo scoffed. "These creatures are mere parasites on Skyeria. We only let them live because of tributes of wealth and food."

"That's it?" Gargec asked in disappointment. "It seems that somebody ignored the lessons about other races in Odiosera." Pointing to the sword, Gargec began, "This blade was made with the techniques of dwarven artisans who dedicate their lives to creating the sturdiest weapons and armor. It was made with the metals found by orcs, who take pride in their combat skills and strength. The goblins' style of experimentation taught me how to fold and forge pieces like this and more, encouraged by their sheer determination through trial and error. Lupine unity taught me how it was okay to ask for help and advice when I wasn't improving during my first few weeks at smithing.

"Gnomish research allowed me to understand where I came up short, and how to improve my technique, even inventing a style that works for me the same way a gnome would. The halflings' calm, cool, and collected nature and peaceful ways taught me how to properly barter and haggle to fetch a good price for all of the components, and their luck taught me how to know what was the best deals. Kitsune wit makes one question if the material is legitimate or an illusion. Felkin wit and speed taught me how to predict when the metal is just hot enough to work on or cooled enough to pull out of the water. Featharian sharpness showed where to spot imperfections. Human creativity taught me how to think outside of the box. And elven magic... well, I learned this from elves."

He reached behind his desk counter and grabbing a small, teal and brown chest. He then placed it atop the counter and opened it to reveal the collection of glowing stones shining in the shop's dimmed light. He picked one out and placed it into the hilt of the weapon before clipping the hole he had inserted the stone in shut, causing the blade to glow with a dark green hue.

"Enchantment," Gargec smirked. "And the patience of our true race made this possible. And this is only a sample of what the races of Skyeria can teach us... imagine what we can learn from studying the smallfolk more closely."

"Has anybody tell you that you talk far too much, older brother?" Stratreo asked.

"I get excited," Gargec said. "The humanoids that are easily written off by our kind as mere fodder, when given a chance, can not only impress us with a mere fraction of their capabilities... they can offer us something legendary with the full extent. Humanoids will rule this world, one day, Stratreo, and I'm excited to see what they'll bring to it."

"You should be excited that your self-imposed exile is finally coming to an end," Stratreo scoffed. "Now, I have orders to bring you home, but Father wants it to be YOUR decision. So, I'm going to ask this one last time: are you going to come on your own, or am I destroying this little life you've built and dragging you back?"

"No need," Gargec answered his brother with a wave. "I'll pack this place up." Stratreo finally offered a smile.

"Glad you're seeing things my way," the younger of the brothers declared. He then hunched over, only for Gargec to stop him.

"Not in here," the dwarf begged.

"Fine," Stratreo scoffed. "One hour, by the gate. If you're not there... I'm not going to be held responsible for what happens." He then left, leaving Gargec to look around.

“Fifteen years, huh?” Gargec asked. “We dragons live way too long for this to feel so short.” He began packing his supplies, taking one final look around the shop. He then looked at the fire that he once used for his shop. "Here's hoping it's not the worst-case scenario." He then inhaled, causing the fires to suddenly die out as Gargec, formerly Gunnar, absorbed the magical flame that burned bright, leaving the shop in darkness save for daylight.

When someone would later come to the shop to place an order, almost an hour later, they would find a locked door with a note placed on it:

Attention, Citizens of Witherbrand:

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Forgefang Hall shall be closed until further notice. And if I do not return or write back in a month, assume I’m dead and return the shop and the land to the town... or better yet, quite possibly leave Witherbrand altogether. The dragon clans that rule the continent may be preparing for war with each other. I apologize that I cannot explain the reasons for my sudden departure beyond that. But know that I’ve grown to care about this town enough to risk everything for its safety. So I plan to name my final piece created here after the town itself, to carry a part of it with me.

Sincerely,

Gunnar Fireforge

A.K.A.,

Raithwall Gargec

On the outskirts, Gargec looked at the town of Witherbrand, a familiar warhammer hanging from his back, and a bag of things he took from his shop adorned to his side. Stratreo rolled his eyes.

“These small, weak creatures live such quick, insignificant lives,” the human scoffed. “They’re parasites on Skyeria. Without guidance, they’re barely good for food, let alone worshipping us as gods. One day, they’ll be nothing but dust, and yet, we’ll be here for millennia. Why bother with them?”

“Because eventually, you’ll figure out we’re not immortals,” Gargec reasoned. “And they, the weak, will inherit this world, outliving us as a species. If I can build them up… forge our successors… make them remember us for the good we did for them… then THAT is the definition of godhood for me.” He then hunched over, and a pair of brass-colored, leathery, scaled wings sprouted. He then was surrounded by fire, and in his place stood a massive brown and yellow dragon.

A red and yellow dragon, somewhat smaller than Gargec, stood by him. “You are incredibly lucky we’re brothers and I’ve yet to become Chief, Gargec. Any other dragon who would have suggested that would find themselves eviscerated under my rule.” With a mighty roar, Stratreo took to the skies, Gargec behind him.

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yoongi-sugaglider · 5 years ago

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Forget Me Nots

A wealthy young man falls overboard while vacationing with friends only to find himself with amnesia and a pretty young wife who seems determined to remind him what hard work and dedication really mean.

Warnings: Strong language, angry Min Yoongi inaccurately portrayed based upon the writer’s imagination,angst, eventual super fluff.

Pairing: Eventual Min Yoongi x reader

Word count: 2911

A/n: So this one came out a bit longer than normal hehe. But like, it’s time yall. To wrap this bad boy up and say goodnight to this series. The next chapter with be the epilogue!~ It’s been a real pleasure writing even thoguh I had some very serious writer’s block going in. But it’s just gotten so much love and that alone made me want to come back and write it. Y/n and Yoongi have had quite the journey yeah? Anyway! Hope yall enjoy!

<<Chapter Nine---Epilogue>>

She glanced up, eyes widening at the zombie like figure that stumbled from the employee exit of Rose’s restaurant. She’d set out from home at the end of his shift, knowing he wouldn’t want to take public transit to get home but fully not expecting the sight that shuffled towards her now. His once navy work shirt was now stained and darkened from all manner of food stuff and his once minty fluff of hair was plastered half haphazardly to his forehead.

Shaking herself out of her stupor she moved to get out of the car but stopped when Yoongi yanked open the passenger door with the last of his strength and toppled into the seat with all the grace of a limp mannequin.

“Sh...are….are you okay?” She stared down at the soggy pile of rags, startling when a single eye stared up at her through his sweat stiffened bangs and mumbled a single word.

“Home.”

“Right…” Shifting in her seat she turned the key in the ignition, waiting patiently for Yoongi to close the door and put on his seatbelt before pulling out of the parking lot and into the busy evening traffic.

The atmosphere in the small vehicle was strained. Though she was pretty sure that it was mostly just her. That single exhausted stare had reminded her far too much of the first moment they’d spent together.

The anger and disgust he’d displayed when speaking to her was such a contrast to the sweet man that’s made dinner for her and asked about her day. Frankly she was terrified that despite the bonding they’d managed everything would go out the window the moment she said the wrong thing.

She glanced over at the young man curled up in the seat beside her when traffic paused at a red light. He’d tucked his legs beneath him somehow, head resting against the glass of the window as he stared out at the hustle and bustle of the street outside.

Their gazes met for the briefest of moments in the reflection of the window but she quickly averted her eyes and refocused her attention on the red light.

They still hadn’t spoken by the time she pulled into the driveway, each lost in their own quagmire of thoughts and emotions as she unlocked the front door. Luckily she’d let the dogs out into the backyard before she’d left so they weren't there to greet them when they walked inside.

She stepped to the side as Yoongi brushed past her at the door. He only paused long enough to kick his shoes off before making a beeline straight for the hallway leading back to their bedroom, presumably with the intent of taking a long and much needed hot shower.

Her fist curled around her keys as she stood in the entryway for a moment longer rationalizing his silence. Rose has promised the shift was going to be an easy one, though nothing was ever easy in the restaurant industry, or predictable for that matter.

With a sigh she kicked off her own shoes, making her way into the kitchen and tossing her keys on the counter as she busied herself with the motions of making dinner. There was no point in dwelling on it now. What was done was done and she’d just have to deal with the fallout when it came. And hopefully it wouldn’t be nearly as bad as she was expecting it to be.

***

They still hadn’t spoken by the time dinner had been made and consumed and the dishes had been washed and put away. The living room was silent as they sat tucked into their respective corners of the couch. She scrolled through social media on her phone, eyes glancing over to his partially snoozing form every now and again to check on him.

The frown between his eyebrows had eased up slightly, though the tension in his shoulders was a long way from easing up. She couldn’t help but to sigh. Every cell in her being was screaming for her to speak. Ask if he was okay, ask how his day went or if he regretted any of it.

Before she could say anything though her thoughts were interrupted by a whine from one of the dogs laying at their feet, followed by a massive crashing boom that rumbled through the tiny house and rattled some of the dishes in the cabinets.

Yoongi jolted awake at the sound, wild eyes seeking out her frantic form as she bolted down from the couch to grab a hold of Champ’s harness. The three legged dog was in a full panic, struggling so harshly against the harness that had he been in a collar he’d have surely choked himself to death.

“Shh baby. I’m here.” her soothing tones seemed to calm the dog for a moment but another resounding thunderclap shook the house, followed by the roaring hammer of raindrops on the roof. The cacophony of sound sent the dog into such a frenzy he was climbing into his owner’s lap in a desperate attempt to shield himself from the sudden onslaught of sound.

Yoongi stared on in confusion, unsure on how to help and yet reaching out an unsteady hand just in case there was something he could do.

“Hey…” His fingertips brushed against her shoulder and her head whipped around, eyes filled with panic. He held his hands up in surrender until the panic faded slightly from her eyes. “Is there...is there anything I can do to help?”

After a calming breath she nodded, shooting him a hesitant smile over the trembling mass of fur in her arms. “In the laundry room is a kennel. It’s folded flat beside the washing machine under a pile of blankets. Could you bring it and the blankets here?”

Yoongi nodded, jumping to his feet and making his way down the hall to the laundry room. It took him only a moment to find the kennel in question, a massive metal monstrosity folded flat and leaning against the wall with a large pile of blankets on top. Carefully he lugged it to the living room, wincing at the scraping sound when he almost lost the blankets tucked under his arm and the kennel dragged slightly on the hallway floor.

“Where do you want it?” He huffed, leaning it against the arm of the sofa as he waited for further instruction.

After pointing out a spot for it she began giving him instructions on how to set it up, telling him in quiet tones to pull Kaia’s bed into the huge expanse. The second the bed was in place Champ was scrambling from her lap, shoving past Yoongi to curl up in the bed. He tucked his snoot beneath his tail, eyes shut tight with the tiniest of whimpers as Kaia climbed in calmly after him.

Thunder rumbled through the room, causing the two humans to flinch and yet in the safety of the kennel Champ was quiet.

“Just toss the blankets over the top. But keep the door open, that way they can come out once the storm is over.” Y/n sighed, bracing herself on the side of the sofa as she stood and nodded in approval when Yoongi created the perfect dark cave for the two pups to cuddle within.

“Huh...that actually worked.” Yoongi wondered aloud as he made a few final adjustments to the blankets before returning to his corner of the sofa.

She nodded, joining Yoongi in tucking herself in and shooting him a tired smile. “I think it’s an instinct thing. Wolves usually hide out in caves during storms. Or at least I think they do. Some call to their ancestors or something like that. Either way Champie boy’s terrified of storms and this is the only way he stays calm.”

“Ah...that explains why your friend Rose called him Thunderchicken at work today when she asked about him.”

She snorted,a soft smile curling her lips as she stared lovingly down at the kennel. “He’ll protect me from every dark shadow and passing car at the drop of a hat, but come rainy season he’s nowhere to be fun.”

Yoongi couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought, reminded of the few moments he’d spent alone with the dogs and the shepherd had gone charging at the windows anytime a car honked or a person walked by. “We all have our weaknesses. Man and beast alike.”

She tilted her head,nose crinkled as she grinned in his direction. “Oh? And what’s your weakness oh great Man Beast?”

His laugh came out almost as a bark, catching her off guard and sending her into a tizzy of giggles that had him grinning from ear to ear.

“Honestly? A good strong cup of coffee and a nap. Nothing gets me weaker than a good long nap.” At that he yawned, though it was quickly interrupted by a flicker of the lights.

“Oh...well…” Y/n began to speak but the moment the power went out and the house went dark she yelped, launching herself across the sofa and right into Yoongi’s surprised grasp.

He sat, motionless, afraid to startle the trembling form in his grasp any further. She sniffed, clutching his clothes desperately as another rumble shook the house.

“Looks like Champ’s not the only thunderchicken huh?” Yoongi mumbled, clutching her closer as she struggled in his grip and smacked him weakly on the chest. He chuckled, fingers carding through her hair as she eased up in her struggles and collapsed back into him.

“Stupid…” She mumbled, face radiating heat that she prayed didn’t transfer through his shirt and into his skin to alert him to the effect his proximity was having on her.

They continued on like this for the rest of the night. Even when her breath had slowed to an even rhythm and her body had relaxed fully into his he refused to move. His heart pounded against his ribs though his mind refused to admit the effect she was having on him. Eventually though it slowed, along with his breathing as well. As the final distant rumbles sounded in the far off distance the house was still, and all its occupants slept.

*** The next day dawned bright and clear. Yoongi groan, stretching long and hard in his place on the sofa, eyes blurrily trying to take in his surroundings. His nostrils twitched, catching the scent of heavy wafting towards him and dragging him from the remaining depths of his sleep deprived mind.

He rolled to his side, eyes greeted with the sight of a glorious steaming cup of black coffee. He grinned, bouncing himself into a sitting position as his long fingers curled around the mug and pulled it in to allow the steam to cascade over his face. He spotted a sticky note that’d been held in place on the table by the mug, grin spreading from ear to ear as he read his wife’s beautiful flowing handwriting.

“Went to the grocery store to grab some stuff for breakfast.

I could tell your day at work yesterday was tough so I let you sleep in.

Hope that’s okay

~y/n”

Champ hobbled over, pulling a grin from the man as he reached out a free hand to scratch absentmindedly at the pup’s head and ears. “Hi there buddy, feeling a little better after last night I see.”

The dog titled his head, goofy shepherd grin on his face as he sat at Yoongi’s feet and leaned in for more scratches. Their bonding though was interrupted by a knock at the door and a sharp bark from Champ who bolted towards the door, barking his head off as his tail wagged a mile a minute.

“Alright boy, easy. I’m coming, I'm coming.” Yoongi grunted as he shoved himself to his feet, regretfully leaving his cup behind as he moved Champ out of the way and eased the front door open.

“Excuse me Sir. I don’t mean to disturb you.”

Yoongi shook his head, a hesitant smile forming at the police officer’s apologetic gaze.

“No officer, it’s alright. But is there anything I can help you with?”

“Ah yes, I was assigned to the assault case of one y/l /ln. We were investigating the crime scene when we came across this phone. Once the case was closed we tried to get in touch with her to return the phone but haven’t had the ability to reach her.” The officer rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he held out the phone in question.

“I figured I’d try at her home but, it seems like since you’re home so I’ll just be able to give it to you.” He smiled kindly as Yoongi took the phone in hand.

“Thank you officer. I really appreciate it.”

After saying their goodbyes Yoongi shut the door and made his way to the sofa in the living room. His fingers curled around the familiar object, unsure why its weight felt so strangely right in his hands.

His fingers swiped across the dark screen, eyes going wide at the amount of missed calls and messages that scrolled across the screen.

47 missed calls, as many missed text messages and 4,762 missed emails. His eyes widened as he scrolled through the messages, names registered under the missed calls that at once felt familiar and strange when he uttered them out loud.

Tapping on one of the voicemails he inhaled sharply as twin voices boomed out of the phone’s speakers.

“Hyung!”

“Shut up Tae I got this!”

“Hurry Jiminie!”

“Yoongi hyung! It’s Jimin! We’ve been trying to get a hold of you for days!”

“Hyung we miss you!”

“Tae come ooonnnn!”

“Sorry oppaaaa.”

A groan sounded through the speakers and the voice started up again. “I know you weren’t looking forward to the trip but you really should have come. It’s honestly been the most relaxing thing we’ve done together.”

“Oh yeah! Namjoon hyung tracked down the lady that you threw overboard!”

“Aish Tae don’t say it like that!”

“Namjoon hyung! What was the lady’s name?”

A third voice grunted out, though further back than the other two had been.

“Her name? I mean I didn’t really track her down, she works for the company we rented the ship from. But...her name is y/n.”

A high pitched screaming began in his ears as he looked up at the named woman that’d walked through the door at that very moment.

“Yoongi?” Her arms were laden with bags from the grocery store. She pushed past the dogs, giving him a hesitant smile that quickly faded at the look of rage on Yoongi’s face.

“When..were you going to tell me?”

“I’m sorry?” Placing the bags in her hands on the sofa she took a step towards him, though he jumped up from the sofa and backed away a step as he glared at her in sheer and utter disgust.

“I remember. Everything. When...when in the fuck were you going to tell me??”

"Yoongi please, let me explain.." She reached out as if to touch him but he quickly jerked his arm away.

Stumbling backward he blindly moved towards the kitchen, rage and confusion filling him as he tried desperately to make sense of what he'd learned.

"You lied to me. Day in and day out, you fucking lied. About who I am and what our relationship is." He growled, the high pitched whine beginning to sound even louder in his ears as he braced himself against the counter.

A throbbing began to form between his eyes and he growled again as he sensed her presence behind him.

"Yoongi please, I didn't want this to happen. I swear I didn't want to lie. About you...about us...any of this."

She reached for him again but he turned quickly to glare her down.

"You didn't WANT to lie!?! How's about telling the fucking doctors you weren't my wife? How about admitting to me that I'm some...fucking idol or some shit?" He shook his head, trying desperately to clear the spots from his eyes so he could focus on the betrayal that was her desperate gaze.

" I know, and you're right. At any point in time I could have stopped this. But you were in such a delicate state. The doctors were afraid the damage to your memory was permanent! That it would only get worse over time! And I just...I wanted to take care of you. I needed to. To thank you."

"To fucking thank me?? For what? And fucking how?? Again, you fucking lied to me. You let me believe I was some...some stay at home worthless piece of shit of a dish washing husband. You...fucking Christ woman you let me fall in love with you…"

He shook his head again, willing the words to continue to spew forth, hoping the anger would keep him on his feet. And yet, the buzzing in his head continued to grow. The black spots became clouds that grew to surround the edges of his sight. And once again he was falling.

Once again his vision was fading to a single pinpoint. Her face. The worry and regret and fear in her eyes.

The tiny forget me not earrings nestled snugly in her ear lobes.

At first there was only sound. And then….nothing.

#bts boulangerie #yoongi x reader #min yoongi x reader #bt min yoongi #bangtan suga #suga amnesia #yoongi amnesia au #bts yoongi amnesia au #yoongi imagine #bt angst #bts fluff #yoongi angst #yoongi fluff #bts x reader insert #bts fanfiction #yoongi fanfiction #my writing

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roseofithaca · 4 years ago

Text

King Takes Knight (Part 3)

This has a plot now. Sorta. I don’t know.

Part One

Part Two

(TW: Captivity, isolation, torture, humiliation)

A large wheel is propped up at the front of the stage, each with a panel containing a different word. Scorpions. Spiders. Bees. Bees with Teeth. Lightning. Ice Spears. Nickelback. Whipping. Flesh Tearing.

“Time to spin the Wheel of Misfortune, Bad Janet.” Shawn instructs.

After an obligatory slur, the Bad Janet dressed in a black, glittery showgirl outfit does as instructed. The crowd watching cheer out their predictions as they watch the wheel spin, panels clattering against the arrow at the top, slowing down with each second.

The unlucky ‘contestant’ shivers against the stake in the centre. They’ve wrapped a blindfold around the top of his head so he doesn’t get to see the result. That would ruin the surprise, after all.

The clacking stops. The crowd laughs.

“Ah! Always a classic. Bring them in, boys.” Shawn strides up to Michael, grabbing him by the jaw and putting his lips to his ear; “You’re gonna go for a nice little swim, you stinking jellyfish. There are some creatures who are just eager to play with you...and they are very, very hungry. And horny. And electrified.”

Laughter ripples through the crowd again as a broken whimper escapes through the constrained lips. His chain is loosened, wrists still bound behind his back. There will be no attempt at ‘swimming’ in the tank that’s brought out.

“Don’t worry, Mike. We made sure to keep the water nice and cold for you. It will be like floating on the sea after the Titanic sunk. And we know how much fun those guys had.”

Shawn yanks his hair back as he’s moved forward.

“Hold still. I want Bad Janet’s camera to get a good long look at you...We want your filthy humans to see their demon daddy at his best, don’t we.”

Another cringe, a helpless writhe, then he’s pushed forward into the tank.

“Turn it off.” Tahani requests, getting to her feet and turning her back to the screen, “Please, I can’t watch anymore.”

Janet does as requested. She’s already seen it all for herself. She hadn’t intended on showing the others, hoping what she described would be enough, but she’d had no choice.

She looks to Jason who’s staring forward, vacantly. Anyone who didn’t know him would think he was completely oblivious to what was going on. But she knows her boyfriend and knows, more than anything, the worry that’s going on behind those blank looking eyes.

Eleanor remains seated on Mindy’s couch, running her hands over her mouth, her skin much paler than it had been a few minutes ago.

“You see now why I have to go back?” Janet tells them; “This has gone on long enough.”

“She’s right.” Tahani doesn’t miss a beat; “I haven’t seen anything that awful happen to someone I cared about since....You know what, I’ve never cared about any famous person more than I do Michael to compare it to!” she wipes a stray tear from her eyes.

Eleanor gets to her feet; “Look, guys, I get it, I do. That wasn’t easy for me to watch either. But...we need to think about this.”

“What is there to think about?” Tahani challenges; “We need to save Michael! You saw what they were doing to him!”

“I know!” Eleanor responds, heatedly; “I wanna save him too but if we just rush in then we’ll be doing exactly what they want! This isn’t like last time when they didn’t know we would find out Janet had been swapped out - they sent us that footage hoping it would bait us into going back there! They want our Janet to reopen the tunnel because I guess their own Bad Janets suck at it.”

Janet watches as their team leader’s fingers twitch as she clearly struggles to remain pragmatic and reasonable against the distressing footage they’ve just witnessed. A part of her admires and respects Eleanor for thinking clearly. And there’s nothing in Janet’s omniscient mind that would question her reasoning.

Yet, oddly enough, she wants to say ‘fork that’ and get...angry. That’s new.

“I hate to be the one to say it but we’re doing so well and they know this! They’re trying to sabotage us again by having us risk ourselves going back there, which is the last thing Michael would want.”

Jason finally pipes up; “I dunno, I think being pushed into a tank filled with giant electric piranhas, might not be what Michael wants either.”

It’s almost impossible for Jason to sound sarcastic, but Janet senses an undertone of it beneath his usual vague tone.

“Look....Michael knew the risks when he chose to stay behind, he told you guys to get out safe and not to reset...We would be making his sacrifice for nothing if we threw our progress away now...”

“How can you be so cold? He’s our friend!” Tahani stares at her.

“And I was the first one who wanted to go back for him when I saw he wasn’t on that handcart, remember?!” Eleanor snaps back, “Janet was the one who said to wait it out, in case he escaped!”

“I was wrong.”

Everyone goes quiet, their eyes turning to fix on her. She clenches her thumb tight in front of her dress.

“I’ve never been wrong about anything before...I didn’t think it was possible. But I was wrong about that.” Janet admits, her lip wobbling; “I thought they would just do what they did to me for all those months, lock me in a cell and have me watch Vicky’s bad rehearsals. I never thought they would...I hoped that Michael would...”

Jason gets up and quietly moves over, putting his arms around her. She puts her hand to his back, not having realised how badly she needed a hug right now.

“It was easier not knowing...Horrible but, you’re right...Now I can’t stop picturing what they’ve been doing to him. Poor Michael. He looked so...” Tahani’s fingers touch her hcest.

Small. Scared. Weak.

Alone.

“We only have a few months left. He’s lasted this long, if we can just bear through-.” Eleanor tries.

“No.” Janet responds.

She’s not used to saying that word.

Eleanor looks at her, sympathetically; “Babe, I know it’s hard, trust me-.” She tries to reach other to touch Janet’s wrist.

She moves back.

“No, Eleanor. I don’t think you have any idea how hard it is.”

“Oh, really? You don’t think that I’ve had to make sacrifices recently? Did you forget what I had to give up...What Chidi had to-?”

“Chidi gets to walk around in the fresh air, he gets to teach and do the things he loves, with only the mild anxious torture. You get to watch over him and make sure he’s safe and know that in a few months, he’ll remember you again.” Janet points out, “Michael is suffering. Every second he stays down there...and you know, as well as I do, Eleanor, what a baby he can be just getting a hangnail. He did that...to save me. To help us! And you just want to leave him there?!”

Eleanor exhales, looking a little knocked back. It’s about time someone knocked her out of the tunnel vision she’s locked herself in since this started.

“Of course not.” She replies, voice breaking; “I’m just not sure-.”

“He loves you.”

Eleanor stops. Her mouth opens, wordless.

“You know it already, don’t you? You must know, you’re not stupid.” Janet tells her, “He loves all of you so forking much...If you don’t know that, I might need to check you didn’t suffer some sort of aneurysm when he gave your memories back, because I saw it all. I watched him start to grow tired of torturing you all. I watched him have to fake looking ecstatic when Shawn said he was being promoted and then, as soon as he was free too, have a freak out at the idea of having to betray you all. I watched him collect all the mementos he has of his time with you guys. I’ve listened him talk for hours about how he adores you all...”

Tahani and Jason both look solemn. Janet’s eyes focus on Eleanor.

“I watched him cling to your ticker tape for over a year. Never sleeping, never stopping...You were all he cared about in the Universe and was prepared to risk everything to save you all. And he’s never once asked for anything in return...He sure as There wouldn’t ask you to save him now. That’s why we should.” Janet rouses, “Jason told me about what happened that night before I got rescued. Michael did so much for you all and you were willing to risk losing him over a lie.”

“It wasn’t like that-.” Eleanor winces with guilt.

“He’s never stopped believing in any of you guys since he changed.” Janet cuts in, “And he’d literally jump into fire to save any of you! But you’re not willing to do the same for him? Damn...you humans. I’m starting to get why some immortals feel the need to torture you.”

That feels like too much to say. Being angry isn’t fun, it turns out. It almost conflicts enough with her Good nature that she feels ready to melt. No wonder humans say and do stupid things when they’re pissed off.

“Janet...You know what’s at stake here and why we need you-.” Eleanor tries again.

“So we should be willing to let Michael be in pain in order to win?” Tahani interrupts; “I’m sorry, Eleanor, but I’m with Janet on this one. If saving humanity means sacrificing our own then I want no part of it.”

“Oooh, good one.” Jason comments.

“Thank you.”

Eleanor rolls her eyes. Janet can see how torn up she is right now. It’s no easy position to be in. But neither is the torture dungeon where one of them is trapped right now.

She takes a step forward, reaching out to touch Eleanor’s arm.

The short human sniffs; “...Why did we have to teach him to be so....not selfish?!”

“If it helps, I don’t think you did. Michael might have learned ethics and morals from you guys...But that love he has? That...unconditional, reckless, self-sacrificing love? He found that all on his own. It’s easy for me, I was designed to care about humans. But Michael had to fight against every one of his natural, evil impulses to be our friend. You don’t have to love him back after what he did to you for all those years....But you should at least appreciate that.”

The humans have no words. So much for Janet’s not being one for speeches. But then she’s no ordinary Janet.

Enough chit-chatting. That’s just another few minutes Michael has had to suffer.

“You guys have shown you can run the neighbourhood with just Derek. You can do it again. I’m going to rescue my friend...my oldest, my truest, most loyal friend...” She repeats the words he said to her; “...Because I do love him.”

To love a demon, something else that seems to go against her natural instinct, as she feels her essence fizzle a little. Worth it.

#whump #angst #tgp fanfic

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fabulouspotatosister · 5 years ago

Text

oh, i’m in trouble now

a/n: Or “I’ve realized I’m actually thirsty for Dhawan!Master and I’ve fallen into a hole I can’t get out of.”

the sequel to i think you’re gonna change my plans !

“You wouldn’t shoot me.”

“You don’t know that,” the Master said. He took a few, steady steps forward, his grin getting wider as you stepped away from him. “You know me. I’m unpredictable.”

The Master was used to seeing fear in people’s eyes when he threatened them with imminent death. It gave him a rush, a buzz, straight to his hearts. A sense of power, of belonging - because that was who he was , he was an unpredictable being and he could do whatever he wanted.

But as the Master gazed into your eyes, he couldn’t help but be surprised at what lay behind them. There was no fear, no panic despite the fact that you were staring down the barrel of a gun that he had taken off a body that was only meters away from him - no, instead there was something he couldn’t read. It was an emotion he couldn’t pinpoint, but something entirely new. It excited him.

“You say unpredictable , but I still found you here,” you said, “and I have you cornered. That sounds like predictability.”

Oh, the Master liked you better lucid. The last time he saw you, you were a bleeding, delirious mess. Sure, the Doctor’s companions tended to be fiery, and her favorites usually had parts of her personality rubbed off onto them, but you were an entirely different firecracker.

“Say I surrender,” the Master began, raising his armed hand in the air and not missing the way you didn’t flinch, “what do you do? Call the Doctor and the rest of your friends so you can capture me again? Act like the hero because you, a human , were able to capture the Doctor’s best enemy? Gain her favor over her other pets? Is that what you want?”

You let out a heavy breath, your entire body tensing at his words. He’d hit a sore spot it seemed, and the Master grinned widely. That must be the problem with travelling with so many companions. An overwhelming need to please… to please someone who would find more interesting things, eventually. A human’s life was just a second compared to a Time Lord’s. The Doctor’s history with her companions spoke for itself.

A heavy silence hung between the space between you and his gun. The Master would have said something else to rile you up, it was so easy to do that, but he was having much more fun watching you think . You bit your lip and dug your feet into the ground, furrowing your brow.

But when you spoke again, your gaze was steady. “I know you won’t shoot me because I’m letting you go.”

The Master stilled. He felt his grin drop from his face, and his hands tremble. No . You were doing that thing again, the thing that made him question his entire self when he’d found you in that cobblestone alleyway long ago. You were doing that thing and he hated it .

“Why? Why do this?” The Master hated the way his voice shook. He could not be weak, not in front of you, who was showing him so much mercy. Mercy that, for all his crimes, he probably didn’t deserve.

You just smiled. “Does there have to be a reason?”

Later, he would not admit that your smile disarmed him. He may have been holding a gun but it could have never existed because of the implications behind that small smile of yours. He would have thought that what you said was something the Doctor would say, but after all he had done? The Doctor would not show him kindness.

You, however, were giving him kindness with reckless abandon. That was not just the Doctor’s quality, that was yours .

“I… I owe you,” you said softly. The Master gripped his gun tighter. “You stayed by my side when I didn’t ask you to. You didn’t kill me when you had the chance. That’s kindness . That was unpredictable.”

The Master scoffed. “That won’t happen again.”

You ignored him. Surprisingly, he wasn’t very offended by that. He should have been. “Already breaking your promises.”

What were you doing ? What were you doing that was keeping him from pulling the trigger? He shouldn’t have stayed behind - you were a loose end. He wasn’t going to lose his chance again, you were vulnerable, a perfect target right now, you were giving him an opening -

The Master lowered his gun.

He kicked himself for that - he was giving you exactly what you wanted. For all he knew, you could be lying and he could be walking into a trap. But your palms were open. There was no threat, as far as he could see. He had no reason not to trust you.

“Good. Now that you’re not pointing a gun at me - and I know you’re trigger-happy,” you said, “I have something of yours.”

The Master raised an eyebrow. “What?”

You reached into your pant pocket, pulling out a checkered piece of cloth - a handkerchief smattered with spots of blood. Your blood. His handkerchief.

So you hadn’t forgotten. It was good manners to return something borrowed, after all. So you had found him, instead. “That’s mine . Are you going to give that back?”

“Maybe,” you answered, a teasing lilt to your voice. Your eyes flickered with mischievousness. You were definitely not scared. “If you play nice.”

“I’m already trying, love,” he said, smirking. You raised your eyebrows, the ghost of a smile playing on your lips. You took a few steps forward until you were standing only inches away from him. You were getting very close, and yet not uncomfortably close. “Nice enough for you yet?”

“You’re getting there.” You tilted your head to the side, still holding his handkerchief in your hand. “Hold out your hand.”

Wordlessly, the Master lifted his hand, his palm facing upwards. This felt special. He kept his eyes fixed on yours as you dropped his handkerchief back into his hand, the soft fabric crumpling into a heap onto his palm. You smiled again, and then suddenly slammed something onto his wrist.

You leapt backwards. “Sorry.”

The Master looked down - he was wearing a bracelet, one that looked finely crafted, woven with gold wires and set with a single green-ish jewel. The Master looked up, mouth curled into a snarl, he knew it, this was a trap all along and he was a complete and utter fool, but you were still smiling, your hands raised in surrender.

“I had to do it,” you said quickly. “Or she’d find you here. With me.”

The Doctor . The Master looked down again, recognizing the strange bracelet. The jewel flashed brightly, casting a green glow over his hands.

“Clever,” he mumbled, strangely proud, “very clever. How did you get your hands on this?”

“You never told me how you got out of the Kasaavin dimension,” you replied, “so you can keep your secrets. I have mine.”

The Master felt a smile slip onto his face. He was liking you more and more by the minute. The Master could see it now - him and the Doctor vying for your affections, for your favor - and the thought made him smile even wider. You must have never told the Doctor about your first meeting. Were you ever even hers in the first place?

“I suppose I’ll have to thank you, then,” the Master said.

There it was again - that imperceptible and unreadable look in your eyes. You shook your head, placing your hands behind your back. “No need. Thank me later.”

The jewel flashed more urgently. Your gaze flicked to the flashing bracelet, and you smiled, very widely.

“My turn,” you said, laughing, and then he was gone.

Suddenly, standing in a cold, dark alleyway, the Master shivered. The jewel on the bracelet had lost its green color. The Master shook off the bracelet, looking at his reflection in the dulled jewel.

The tables were turned. Now he had something of yours. If this was a game you were playing, he would play along. It was only fair, after all. And if it wasn’t a game - well. You were an entirely different firecracker, and the Master didn’t mind getting his hands burnt.

In the darkness, the Master let out a laugh. It’s polite to return things, after all.

#(meme audio) look at this DUUDE #would you believe me if i said it was so hard for me to write a thirteen fic after this because all i wanted to do #was write a sequel to this #(points at the master) you motherfucker.#like deadass 'get out of my head' lmao #doctor who #doctor who imagine #the master imagine #the master x reader #dhawan!master #dhawan!master imagine #dhawan!master x reader #jess writes #WHy is posting on tumblr so hard

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genbmnt · 5 years ago

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closed: @shanexmartis

It's the nightmares that gets her this time and the inability to wake from it at the very start. The last mission -- that will always haunt her. It's a dangerous lifestyle and Genevieve is very much aware of this; she's not a stranger to the risks it undertakes or how she practically walks in with a target on her back. A small, sadistic part of her actually enjoys it if she's being quite honest with herself. There's just something with the feeling of having the upper-hand at having someone's life dependent on her next movements. It's an aphrodisiac at this point and if one were to squint, Genevieve just about gets off of the thrill. Life hasn't always been kind to her and while she tries her hardest to be a good person -- or hell even a decent person would suffice -- a job's a job and it's the only thing she's ever known. That doesn't mean that everything always goes according to plan; she's human and she's bound to have errors.

This last time, though, it very nearly cost her life.

Genevieve can practically taste the rust in her mouth, the dizzying feeling almost knocking her out. It's a death sentence and she knows it, the memory of the onslaught of panic that hit when she realized that the whole mission went sideways. It's only her luck that she didn't have anyone else with her. Everyone thought it was quick and easy; no one could have predicted that she basically walked into a trap. Quick reflexes may have saved her but at a cost. The bullet fragments lodged in her shoulders with something metallic rooted near her spine have the woman almost screaming in agony, but the main objective was to stay alive. Genevieve remembers the hysteria in stealing someone's car and driving to the nearest place she knows: Santa Ysabel.

In the dream, though, she never made it. Her subconscious just loves playing with her, toying the idea that no matter how fast she drove, he wasn't too far behind. There was always something wrong: the car wouldn't start, the gun hit a little too close to something vital, she wasn't able to kick away from being pinned down. It all ended the same: with Genevieve in her coffin and no one there to attend the funeral. She's not quite sure what it means; is it the fear of death or the fear of being alone that has the woman in a twist? Either way, she wakes once the first shovel-full of dirt hits her grave.

Upright with her chest heaving, there's a trail of sweat falling from her temple. She's shaking and she's only glad she's alone since vulnerability has always been instilled in her as a form of weakness. It took a lot to let Bear help her out that night. The clock on her night stand reads near 3 am and she just knows she's not going to be able to go back to sleep. Alcohol has always been her comfort, but the nightmare of two nights ago already have her stock needing to be replenished. Figuring that there's no better time to do so -- convenient store liquor would have to do, she supposes -- Genevieve is quick out of bed. A hoodie over her frame is the only thing that's actually keeping her from falling apart right now and she hates herself for it.

Out the door and into the night, she's made sure that she's strapped. Even if she doubts he'll find her here, there are still others out there that like to tease the lawlessness of the city. Genevieve would be damned if she were to go down by some townie who barely knew how to operate a pistol. The cool wind nipped against her skin and it's only then that she realizes that she came out in her pajama shorts. Around her, the residential area doesn't seem to scream any kind of familiarity and so she ventures on, letting the pinpricks against her thigh raise goosebumps. It's kind of relaxing, in a way; her heart rate's slowed down and the memory is starting to fog up in her mind. The feeling is still there though so the need for something alcoholic stays. Besides, she's never been the type to deny herself a chance at getting drunk.

It'd be smarter to go to the diner, to wrap herself around Bear since he's always been the one that's able to calm her down at this state, but she's done that far too frequently throughout the years. She doesn't want it to become a pattern even if it already has, but denial's been a friend all this time and she's not going to walk away from that. The streetlights guide her towards the commercial part of the city and surprisingly -- or not -- it's somewhat alive with those coming from clubs, bars, and just whichever hellhole they've decided to ascend from. Her age has probably warranted a pause in such celebrations, but she remembers a time when she too would stumble out of establishments, the liquor going straight to her brain. It was a fun time; it was a safe time. Now, she walks past them with her head hung low as she searches for the nearest gas station.

It doesn't take long and Genevieve's not quite sure why she's disappointed by that. The store holds some off brand whiskey and she goes for it, opting for two bottles lest the nightmares come back. There are no plans for tomorrow and work is easy to call off to. Grabbing some snacks as well, she heads to the register, ignoring the way the cashier seems to eye her little ensemble with interest. It's disgusting and she wants to punch him for it. Payment is done with a quick swipe of her card but he seems to be taking his sweet ass time in printing out the receipt. Before she could even tell him to forget it, there's a quick flick of his wrist as he writes his number down on the back and handing it to her with a wink. Maintaining eye contact, she takes the receipt and drops it on the floor in front of them. There's a smile on her face then, the first feeling of something at seeing how fast his face falls.

Genevieve isn't in the mood right now.

Outside she opens one of the bottles -- with the other safely tucked in the plastic bag that hangs low on her wrist -- and takes a long pull from its neck, letting it burn its way down. How she's come this low, she doesn't know, but she doesn't have a way out of it yet. Her feet walk to their own accord with the woman taking random sips from her liquid therapy. There are still people about and she's sure some are looking at her with something akin to pity or disgust, but she finds that she doesn't even care. One of the people on the streets in particular bump against her shoulder and she stumbles for a bit. It's probably the alcohol but Genevieve doesn't even care, only turning to the woman with a smile on her face. She must look insane but this is a chance to actually have some type of interaction with people rather than just the whiskey.

"Hi."

#genevieve * / threads .#genevieve * / & shane .

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roseamongroses · 5 years ago

Text

W.A.L: “Black Hole Sun”(20)

s u m m a r y:

Eden was the lowest of the low, a monster, hardly human, and was set to be executed. Roman was on trial, perpetually stuck in time until it was time to atone for his families sins.

Neither cared much for staying trapped.

So when a Stranger offered freedom, offered peace, offered power, it was hard to say no.

Even if it put them on the wrong side of history.

v i b e s :

time is irrelevent, homophobia who?, magic and beasts, demigods

w a r n i n g s

Imprisonment, Mentions of execution, Blood/ injuries, Mentions of past Death, minor character death/suicide, repression, cursing,

c h a r a c t e r s

Deceit(Eden) Sanders, Remy Sanders, Logan Sanders, Virgil Sanders, Patton Sanders, Roman Sanders, Emile Picani

Ship: Roceit

1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

(6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)

(12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17)

---

Her presence alone commanded attention, even in the blank expanse of The Chambers. You hear the clicking of her heels first, the gracefulness of her step unassuming, but the weight of the thick heels a clear warning for anyone with eyes.

Then you see her-- all six feet of her. Her crown of horns a sterile grey, arching high and easily adding another three inches to her stature. Her strawberry blonde hair trailed behind her, curled and inviting, with her low swooping, scaled tail.

She only holds one key. She only needs one key.

She unlocks a door, not sparing a glance at the materialized Guard, instead clearing her throat and prompting them to shut up and knock on the door.

Dot sat crossed legged on the ground. Her wings were neat behind her as she tilted her head in acknowledgement, “Ms. Annalise Drak’on?”

Drak’on gave a jagged smile, “So you’ve heard of me,”

---

Roman woke with a start.

His skin burning and head pounding as he stumbled to the bathroom just as he started heaving. He shuddered, wiping his mouth as he braced himself on the ground, just barely registering Eden’s presence behind him.

“Go away, ‘m gross, ” Roman groaned, feeling that burning sensation wrap around his throat bringing the threat of tears.

Eden didn’t say anything and Roman wasn’t sure whether to feel grateful for the silence or panicked at the thought that maybe this was too much and he’d finally just leave--

Roman numbly let Eden guide him up to the chair by the bathtub’s edge, swallowing his embarrassment. Eden crouched in front of him, wringing a wet towel before cradling Roman’s face gently and wiping away the remaining bile.

Eden’s face was impassive as he tugged the edge of Roman’s now sullied dress in silent question. Roman nodded, letting Deceit pull it off him and toss it to the side.

Roman shut his eyes, grasping his arms, feeling the cooler air hit him. He felt wrong, the burning sensation crawling underneath his skin too hot, yet not hot enough. Before Roman could properly spiral, Eden guided his arms up, a heavy fabric slipping over his head, stopping short of Roman’s thighs.

Roman opened his eyes bleary, “Wha…” he pinched the familiar dark fabric, unable to stop the satisfaction curling in his chest. After returning from Dr. Picani’s The Stranger had gotten Eden new clothes, but Eden had repurposed his dress into a shirt, “You didn’t need to,” he murmured, voice hoarse.

“I didn’t,” Eden agreed, standing up, “I’ll get you something proper to wear later today,” he said, tousling his hair, and wiping away his face and scales, “Apparently we’re going ‘shopping’ but I don’t know if I should be concerned since Kai was frothing at the mouth and Lauren was panicking all last night about packing a field medical kit,”

Roman managed a laugh, playing with the red shawl, tying back his hair, “When are we leaving?” he asked, taking internal stock of his body. His limbs were fine, albeit a bit unsteady, there was only the low simmer of nausea threatening to rear its head, but usually that was relatively predictable.

“You’re not going,” Eden said, pressing a hand to Roman’s forehead with a small frown, “Do you want me to bring anything back?”

“Why can’t I go?” Roman said, with a pointed look, “You can’t be alone with them.”

“You’ve already been pushing yourself,” Eden said, “When we get back you can help me go over anything strange the brats let slip out, you won’t be breaking your promise,”

Roman couldn’t wipe the sour look from his face, “I can be stronger than this,” he said, looking at down at his lap, “I should be stronger.”

“You are strong.”

“But--”

Eden held up a hand, quieting Roman, “I won’t let you kill yourself trying to prove something that I already know,” he said like it was the simple, easy truth, “You are strong, but you need rest. Both can exist.”

Roman couldn’t protest.

He wanted that.

He wanted that freedom so much and Eden made it sound inevitable.

“Make sure you come back,” Roman said, fiddling the edges of the shirt.

“I will.”

---

The Stranger didn’t bother telling them where they were. The looming architecture of the Sanders Manor was unmistakable, yet different seeing as they were knee-deep in a swamp, Deceit assumed it was one of their “other” homes.

The Stranger sat atop the barely held together gate, unbothered by the sweltering heat. He munched on some overtly powdered pastry, “Y’all know the drill,” he said, checking his phone with indifference, “Fastest one in gets to choose dinner.”

The effect was instantaneous.

Kai was already rushing towards the gate before The Stranger had even disappeared with Lauren quick on his heels. The two fought on the whole way up, dropping unceremoniously to the ground in a pile of bony limbs and curses. Lauren was up first, laughing, and she must have said something because Kai was red faced and frozen on the ground for a few seconds before he stalked after her.

Deceit blinked, long and slow, ‘Aren’t you going to join them?’ he asked Elliot who was lingering by the gate.

‘Uh, I usually wait outside,’ Elliot gripped their shirt like a lifeline, ‘Lauren gives me anything she doesn’t want so I’m good,’

‘Any reason why?’

Elliot somehow managed to look even more frantic, ‘I don’t get into the habit of getting eaten,’ they said, ‘Without any upkeep, those Manors are death traps,'

Deceit snorted at that, giving the gate a once-over, ‘We're in a swamp, kid,’ he said, shaking a particularly weak pole in the gate and snapping it.

‘So?’

‘So,’Deceit echoed, partially shifting and slipping through the hole and reappearing on the other side with a too wide grin, ‘Lots of things big and small that can hurt you out here. I think you’d fare a lot better where I can see you.’

Elliot's eyes flickered between the swamp and the house, before they nodded quickly, shrinking down and fluttering past Deceit.

Deceit sighed watching them go, pushing away his vague nostalgia and instead setting out to find Kai. He sidestepped some statues, his skin crawling as he forced himself to keep going, but it was hard not to flinch every time. There were so many and according to Roman, a lot of them weren’t even familial Sanders.

The Council apparently was never clear on how far the charges extended, seemingly clumping the prestigious family ‘Sanders’ with the magic folk of the same name-- with little care of how they were distinct from each other. That wasn’t even addressing the fact that the Sanders family commonly hired non-folk from local areas as servants and staff and they apparently had to pay for the alleged crimes for association alone. While the folk had a chance of having a life if the charges were ever dropped, the curse would inevitably kill the humans from the shock of exposure to magic alone.

Deceit tried to understand the Council’s exact purpose, but every time Roman explained it never made sense. It wasn’t supposed to make sense to non-members, apparently, but Deceit wasn’t sure if they were supposed to make sense to anyone.

He rounded the corner, ducking under the hanging spanish moss right in time to see Kai crouched in front of a side-door that was probably for kitchen staff.

Kai must have noticed Deceit staring, “What?” he scowled, not looking up as he used some long tools to mess with the doors lock.

Deceit leaned against the wall, ignoring the sounds of footsteps on the roof, “Where’d you learn to lockpick?’

“What hole did Remy find you in?” Kai retorted.

“Prison.”

“For what?” Kai asked, something comparable to curiosity edging into their voice.

That truth was a bit harder, “Alledged murder,”

Kai whistled low, “Does the alleged part mean you didn’t do it?”

“It means I never got a trial,” Deceit shrugged, “I was an immigrant and the family housing me didn’t want to vouch for me.”

Kai didn’t respond to that. He worked silently until something clicked, then he tucked away his tools, stood, and pushed opened the door.

“My Nonna was a thief,” was all Kai offered, before stepping inside.

---

Sleep was elusive for Roman.

It was a sensation that he constantly ached for but never quite managed to satisfy, everything was usually too loud. Every speck of earth trembled at his slight movement, every droplet of water rushed to listen to him, the air buzzed in anticipation waiting for him to speak and his body ached to do so, but he needed rest.

He knew it. Every doctor, nurse, or nanny he’s ever had knew it, but Roman had never quite managed to release his need for constant awareness. It didn’t feel right under the scrutiny of so many elements at once and it made his skin crawl when they all clambored for his attention.

When he was younger it was easier because he was never far from his Nanny. When he got a bit older Remus, Lauren, and the triplets normally took turns invading his space and sharing his bed as if understanding that his ever building anxiety got a little bit quieter if he could hear someone else's heartbeat, hear Remus’s sleep babble, or Lauren making up lullabies.

His father used to indulge him too, but his first wife….she never liked it. Said it made him weaker. More codependent, which was fair. But let it be known he never managed to sleep more than a few hours and the less sleep he got the more his body seemed to strain with the weight of magic festering under his skin.

Which made him weaker.

It was a cycle Roman had come to loathe.

Roman groaned sleep rushing away from him, but his body grew nauseous at the thought of moving, so he let himself sink into the covers as the world’s whispers grow around him and--

The phone rang, well, Lauren’s phone to be exact, and Roman groaned at the noise. He fucking hated those things, but answered the call regardless, putting it on speaker.

“You answered,” Eden said.

“You called,” Roman said, closing his eyes. He heard the shouts and crashes in the background. Something that vaguely sounded like ‘Told you, pay up!’ (Lauren) and ‘Fuck you,’ (Kai) He winced through a laugh, “Having fun?”

“The most fun--” Another crash and Eden cursed saying something under his breath. The room suddenly got deadly quiet.

“What did you tell them?”

“I gave them incentive to leave,” Eden said, shuffling something, “We’re at your swamp house, you got anything you want me to get?”

“You’re... in my room?” Roman asked slowly.

“One of them, yes,” Eden said, sounding annoyed, “What?” he said and Roman heard some shuffling, “Got something to hide?”

“Not...from you," Roman admitted, mentally trying to remember the room’s layout , “Don’t let Lauren look through my books,” he added on quickly.

“Should I even ask?” Eden sighed.

“You can look if you want,” Roman bit his lip at the thought, “But I doubt it’s your thing,“

“I’ll take your word for it,” Eden said dry, “So any requests?”

“Mmm,” Roman managed to sit up, “Surprise me, make it cute,”

“Cute,” Eden echoed, with a snort.

“Yes cute, adorable, enchanting, if you will,” Roman sniffed, dead serious, “If I have to feel gross I at least need to look good, Dee,”

“You’re already cute,”

Roman’s breath hitched,“I--” He laughed it off, “Sleep deprived and covered in puke?”

“No one looks good covered in puke,” Eden reasoned, “But you pull off my clothes pretty well, ”

‘“Are…” Roman covered his face, “--you doing this on purpose?” he whined, feeling thin vines crawl up his knuckles, his face burning at the praise.

He could hear the frown in Eden’s voice, “Doing what on purpose?”

“You’re fli-” Roman stopped, going still, “Did The Stranger come back early?” he asked in a low whisper.

“No...he’s busy in Australia, ” Eden said, “Is someone else there?”

“I can’t tell…” Roman said, feeling the nausea again, “I guess the council found out about Logan’s masking trick, but The Stranger’s council bond is weaker so it might… but...”

Roman could hear the clicking of heels first.

She seemed unphased by his magic, barrelling through it with little grace and no remorse. Roman knew he couldn’t stop her, he could hardly stand.

Seeing her at his door with her grey eyes raking over him wiped away what little strength he had felt.

He felt like a little kid again.

“What are you doing here,” Roman managed, but his words were faint.

“Roman? Roman what’s going on?” Eden’s voice grew increasingly frantic, but seemed to grow more and more distant. Everything was distant.

She didn’t smile,“Is that any way of talking to your mother?”

#ts sides #roceit #ts roman #ts deceit #sanders sides #sanders sides fanfiction #fanfiction #writing #Winners Among the Losing

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kbrown78 · 6 years ago

Text

Monthly Wrap Up: July

July didn't quite go how I planned it to. First, there was my families vacation to South Carolina. I brought several books with my because I thought I would just be able to crank out within a few days, but our stay was much shorter than usual and even during traveling I wasn't able to read as much for various reasons (fear of planes and driving in the dark). So in that time frame I was only able to complete 3 books, which was good but nowhere near what I was hoping. Than work started getting busy, and I had to deal with some graduate school stuff, so I didn't have as much time for reading. That all being said I was still able to complete 10 books, most of which were good and I gave 3 or 4 stars to (there were a few notable exceptions), and accomplished various reading goals, like completing the Reading Frenzy's Runaway with the Circus Readathon (which consisted of 6 prompts) and did my classic of the month. I will also say this month had a huge variety of books, both in the genre and status, and while I still definitely gravitate toward adult fantasy, I feel like picking up books outside of my preferred genre is becoming easier as I end up liking more and more of those selections. To summarize, despite not getting to all the books I wanted to and the three 1 star reads, this month was really solid and I definitely found some books that I could add to my favorites of the year.

Morning Star by Pierce Brown: Darrow must complete the mission of the Sons of Ares, to break the chains of Society, but the events of the previous book have completely changed things. With dwindling resources and allies, Darrow and the Sons of Ares make a final stand against the tyranny of the Sovereign and the Jackal. Upon rereading this book, I'm definitely glad that Brown is continuing the series because I don't think this works well as a finale. When I read the last book in the series, I want to feel that full emotional impact and want a sense of resolution from the ending. I'm not saying everything needs to be completely fixed, I like having a few loose threads, but this ending leaves me with such a sense of uncertainty that I almost feel anxious, which is not something I want from a finale. My biggest issue with this book was probably the pacing of the book, and how everything was just rushed so it could be crammed into one last book. I know there's a lot that this book had a ton it needed to cover, and without a doubt one of this series strongest feature is its action, but something was off and this seemed to produce a ripple effect that tainted other elements of this book. The stakes didn't feel as high, despite the fact that they were potentially world ending stakes. Characters arcs were incomplete, with only Darrow and Sevro having really progressed in any way (and even then I have mixed feelings about Darrow's arc), and romances were really forced into the narrative with little chemistry between the couples. New characters that were added in honestly had little impact. There was, however, 1 major highlight of this book, and really the whole series. That was the villain, The Jackal. As a villain, he is terrific. He's terrifying, amoral, cunning, and deceptive. He isn't a fighter, but that's what makes him so dangerous, because he knows how to get others to do the fighting so that all opponents underestimate him. His petty grievances against his family, and self worth issues make him human, but he is anything but humane. He's honestly one of the best villains, ever. Morning Star was a fun, enjoyable read, but it really lacked the development that it needed to elevate and complete it, and as a finale it really is disappointing. Morning Star received 3 out 5 stars and for the Circus Readathon was my pick for the Flyer prompt “a book set in space.”

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys: When I completed Sepetys novel Salt to the Sea, I loved it so much that I decided to read the rest of her books. I took this one with me when I went on vacation because I would be in South Carolina, and since this book is set in the south I thought it would be the perfect time to read it. This is a historical fiction set in New Orleans during the 1950s. Josie is the daughter of a prostitute with big dreams of leaving behind all the prejudice and brothel that she has grown up in and starting fresh with a college education from a prestigious college. I admit I had high standards going into this one because of Salt to the Sea, and while Out of the Easy wasn't as good, I still liked it. There were a few hiccups however. This narrative lacked direction at times, to the point where things just stalled, with no action or quiet moments. I also didn't like the romance. It wasn't awful but very predictable and just didn't have enough substance or development, especially when compared to almost every other relationship. The one other thing I struggled with was the setting itself. The writing just didn't convey the vibrancy of New Orleans, which is shame because New Orleans has such a colorful reputation. Most of these complaints, however, were minor and this book managed to pull of a really solid, more mature narrative without being depressing. Characters were the highlight of this book because all of them had a life like quality to them, but the best one was probably Josie. Watching as various relationships shape who she is, working hard to achieve her dreams, and having to tackle disappointments and harsh realities made her She's definitely a flawed individual, but I think that at least makes her relateable and sympathetic. Still not as good as Salt to the Sea, but a decent good and one of the better historical fiction novels that I've read. Out of the Easy received 4 out 5 stars.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang: Since I was going on vacation, I just wanted a nice quick read, and I tend to overall like short story collections. I wasn't sure what I expected going into this, I think I was hoping for something like Ken Liu's Paper Menagerie anthology, but that wasn't what this collection was. It was exclusively science fiction stories (though there were a couple stories that blurred the lines) but the most surprising aspect was definitely how many hard SF stories there were, which is a sub genre I'm not comfortable with yet. Those stories were definitely my least favorite because not only did I disliked what they focused on, physics theorems and mathematical proofs (which I've always struggled with) but also from a writing stand point these stories were the weakest. There were several issues present in most of the stories (weak endings, cold tone, impersonal characters, and disjointed narratives) but they were just really all present and emphasized in the 2 hard SF stories (Story of Your Life and Division by Zero). On the bright side, there was some very good stories that I really loved that I think nailed everything a short story should be. My favorite 2 stories were Tower of Babylon and Seventy Two Letters, both of which would get 5 stars. The individual stories get mixed reviews from me, ranging from poor 1 star, to average 3 star, to excellent 5 star, and despite the fact that execution felt weak in most of the stories, most of the stories at least had some interesting themes. Overall thought it was a decent collection and I'm glad I read it, but I wish I had known it would be just SF stories. As a whole, Stories of Your Life and Others received 3 out 5 stars.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle: This is classic fantasy story that somehow managed to stay under my radar until a couple years ago. I honestly didn't expect much out of it, but at the very least it would be a quick, easy read, with a simple premise of the last unicorn going on a quest to find the rest of her kind. After completing this one, it actually managed to exceed my expectations. It definitely hit all the beats of a classic fantasy: a long quest, medieval European setting and myths, wicked king, magic and prophecy. There's a lot of elements about the book that could make me dislike it, because I have struggled with several epic fantasy novels in just this past year. The difference is that The Last Unicorn is significantly shorter than the other books, and that is without a doubt what makes it work for me. Instead of dragging the story out as long as possible to make it seem grand and epic (because everyone's trying to emulate Tolkien), Beagle gets right to the point and keeps everything at a smaller scale. This pays off because almost every scene feels worthwhile and I'm actually invested in the characters, who were all interesting and well written. Even things I would normally irritate me, I thought was well done. Specifically the prophecy aspects of the narrative. Prophecies are so overused, and rarely done well, they usually make the story feel cheap. In The Last Unicorn, the prophecy wasn't a fundamental part of the story, but it did add layers and the way it played out was done in such a poetic way that it really was a satisfying addition to the narrative. There were also some great themes in this story, in fact the whole thing felt like a mystical allegory for growing up, and I personally love finding good coming of age narratives. There was a lot about this novel that just worked for me and I thought was well executed, but there were a few missteps. Most were minor, like one filler scene (that was a bit weird), and the juxtaposition of modern pop culture reference being present in a medieval setting, but the biggest issue I had was the ending. It was a vague and just felt like I was missing something (though I can't pin point exactly what), but the ending definitely dropped the rating a little. All in all this was a solid fantasy that stands the test of time, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good stand alone fantasy novel. The Last Unicorn received 4 out 5 stars and was one of the books I read for the Reading Frenzy's “Runaway with the Circus” Readathon.

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini: Long books can be a struggle to get through, especially if you become increasingly frustrated with the story, and oh boy was that the case for this one. Over 700 pages, and I'd say about 600 of those pages was just filler. Most of the story was dedicated to sub plots which I think were supposed to add to the characters and the world (like the Dwarves electing a new king) and the only events that tied the book to the rest of the series was at the very beginning and end of the book, which makes the entire book feel unnecessary. To add insult to injury, this tome of a book was almost exclusively in the POV of people I didn't care about. Eragon was annoying at first, but now he's just bland because his purpose in this book seemed to just be a mouth piece to spew exposition. There's also the detail of him having made allegiances to everyone he comes in contact with, and while this could have been an interesting plot point and character flaw (since everyone points out that he's basically spread himself to thin) nothing really comes of it. Roran got a lot more screen time in this book, and I hated his POV in the second book and I disliked it even more in this one, because he doesn't do anything and doesn't deserve all the leadership he gets. He's basically a discount Eragon, his chapters were so grating that I just started skipping them all together. The ultimate slap in the face though, was the removal of Nausada's POV. She's my favorite character, by far, the most complex, and I really felt her absence. In general I was so disconnected from the story and the characters, that after days of finishing it I honestly don't remember most of what happened. It sucks because not only was this a favorite series of mine as a child, but also because I see glimpses of potential for this series to be elevated for adult audiences but nothing is done with it. I'll read the last book at some point, just to finish the series, but I'm in no rush to get to what will probably another disappointing tome. Brisingr received 1 out 5 of stars.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: For a little over a year I've wanted to read this book. Granted it's a mystery which falls out of my usual genre, but it was receiving enough attention to make me curious. Almost immediately I had issues with this book, and those issues stretch through the entire narrative. First is the writing style. Larsson (or at least the translator, since this was originally published in Sweden) seems to use a very dry style, utilizing the precise words that are needed. I have a history of disliking books with a dry style and this one was no exception. The result was that I was honestly bored, felt like I was reading a lot of filler that focused on what exactly everyone looked like and what they were doing, and just in general very detached from the narrative. The other part of this book that was off putting for me was the sexuality and sexual violence. Like this is definitely a novel I would only recommend for an adult audience. I already knew there was going to be a rape scene with Salander, but there was more than just that, which I was not expecting. It just builds up, from the male protagonist constantly having casual sex, to the way men regard Salander, to Salander being explicitly raped twice, then a missing person case turning into a hunt for a sexual sadist with a trail of bodies. It was so bleak and really turned me off from the narrative. Combining the writing style and sex, and I ended up skimming the majority of the book, because every time I tried to fully read, I just felt worn down. Speaking of which the mystery narrative wasn't that good. I've seen worse but I wasn't invested in this one at all, there were some notable holes in it, and toward the end it was pretty obvious who was the killer. I wasn't invested in the characters because they basically felt like archetypes that I either disliked or had seen way too many times, although Salander did manage to have a few shining moments. Basically there was nothing that I liked about this story: the tone, the writing, the violence, the characters, and the story itself. I personally would recommend just watching the movie if you're curious about this one, since I could see it potentially being better in movie format. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo received 1 out 5 stars and was my pick for the PopSugar prompts: “set in Scandinavia,” “published post humously,” and “features an amateur detective.”

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: The only reason I read this book is because I wanted to knock out some challenge reads. I didn't expect to love this one, it's not in a genre I gravitate towards and Rowell's books strike me as a mix between John Green and Nicholas Sparks novels, neither of which I have any interest reading. However, this novel fulfilled 2 prompts, so I really needed to get this one done. Honestly, this one felt like I was reading fanfiction. The writing was choppy and juvenile, the dialouge was awkward and unnatural, the characters were card board cutouts made from a collection of cliques, there was no chemistry with the romance (love interest was a bit of creep at times), and whenever there was a plot it was melodramatic moments that the author was trying to force. Even though this was supposed to be a coming of age book, with the protagonist going off to college, and being in a fandom (with the fictional fandom being a blatantly gay Harry Potter), it delivered on none of that. If you want a good book on fandoms, with a well written protagonist with social anxiety, I would skip this book and just read Eliza and Her Monsters. Everything about this book was lazy and awkward and was even uncomfortable at moments, and I'm just glad I got it over with quickly. Fangirl received 1 out 5 stars and was my pick for the PopSugar prompts: “set on a college campus” and “author whose 1st and last name start with the same letter.”

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss: This book was in a word, fun. All this book wanted to do was tell a fun story, and I think it delivered on that. The whole story focuses on Mary Jekyll as she discovers that her late father was part of a secret organization of scientists that might be connected to a recent string of murders in London. Along the way she meets several other women in the same predicament as her, and together they work to stop the mysterious Society of Alchemists before it's too late. Loved how the whole book is just a nod to several iconic literary figures, especially of Victorian Literature, but it really focuses on the females and the effect that their “fathers” had on them. The way the book was written, as a sort of memoir with each of the girls adding in their own commentary, worked well because it gave us some insight to each of their personalities as well as making slight commentary on the Victorian Era. Surprisingly I also liked how the mystery was handled, because that's usually where a story comes crashing down for me. I think that's because it took it's time to develop and arise naturally, kept the stakes relatively small, and set the groundwork for a series long conflict. I thought Mary was a pretty good protagonist, a practical minded leader and good hearted individual. While the book keeps the plot simple, which worked, its also kept most of the characters simple, which did not entirely work. For most of the girls, and even other side characters, I felt like they weren't developed much outside of their original context. Which meant that I didn't feel much attachment to them, nor did I get a feel for their inner dynamics, which is rather important for group based stories. Granted the book didn't suffer too much from it and we have the whole just of the series to further develop them. In my opinion this book is ultimately just a fluffy story that's great for reading slumps. The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter received 4 out of stars and was my pick for the Circus prompt “Cotton Candy: a fluffy and light hearted read.”

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff: Hyped books always make me skeptical, because more often than not I've been burned by them. Initially I got this one as a gift for my sister because it seemed like the type of book she would enjoy, but I was intrigued because of all the praise it had been receiving. If the premise of this book sounds familiar, a young girl training to take revenge on a corrupt government that executed her family, that's because it is. At the start this book does feel just like a copy of Arya Stark's narrative, and even the rest of the story features overused tropes that I don't like (Mean Girl and Mean Teacher) but I think everything else about this book makes up for that. The world was really interesting, a blend of various real world time periods and cultures but injected a healthy amount of fantastical elements. Loved the Red Church and the various classes, aka Halls, because you actually get to see what the acolytes learn and how it would be useful. “Truths” was definitely my favorite because that was the class with poisons and chemicals. I also appreciate the fact that while this definitely is an adult fantasy, and has dark and grim elements, it never steps over the line of being bleak to an absurd degree like a lot of fantasy (adult and YA) currently is, which is nice because I hate grimdark books. Characters were all interesting to say the least because while each was unique, with their own quirks and motivations, they all have a cut throat streak to them since all are either assassins or training to be assassins. While I did like Mia and found her to be an excellent protagonist, she wasn't actually my favorite character, which speaks to how good the side characters were. All the relationships in this book were artfully done and really tugged on my emotions. Like I wanted to trust others and for true friendships to be developed, only for the rug to be ripped from under me and those relationships only to end in death or betrayal. Even liked the romance, which is saying something because it's hard for to find a romance I think works well (still didn't need the sex scenes though). As for the plot, I've already stated that there were some tropes and the story did drag at times, but overall I liked the story. I liked seeing the various twists and turns that it took, I thought the flashbacks were well utilized, all the pieces just clicked together, and by the end of the story I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. There's also a matter of the footnotes, which I know some people don't like, but I personally liked them because of how they added world building but also conveyed the narrators wit. This book wasn't super original, but everything about this book was really solid and I honestly loved it. I'm eager to see where the rest of the series goes. Nevernight received 4.5 out 5 stars, and was my pick for the PopSugar prompt “religious setting,” and for the Circus Readthon prompts: “Big Top” (red, white, black colors on cover), “Grandstand” (hyped book), and “Ringmaster” (first book in a series).

The Art of War by Sun Tzu: Over the years, I've read a variety of books. Mostly fiction, mostly fantasy but I've also read plenty of non fiction and classics, yet this one is really isn't like any other book I've read. A blend of classical writing and non fiction, above all it's a book on military tactics. While the concept is good, and I did find this insightful, I don't read books that focus on military. It's such a dry, technical form of writing that I struggle to visualize and can't connect with, and as a result I just tend to glaze over battle scenes, even in fiction novels that I'm really liking. I also didn't like how the supplemental notes and translations were placed within the book, to the point where the writing felt very choppy, and I honestly struggled with getting through the last 50 or so pages. On that note, I think Art of War is an interesting read, that illuminates the delicate relationship between peace and war, and does make the subject of military strategy approachable and understandable, but the subject still isn't something up my alley, and there were times I was just bored when reading it (both due to the subject and the writing itself). The Art of War received 3 out 5 stars and was my classic read of the month.

Thank You Everyone

Keep Calm and Keep Reading

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coeurvrai · 6 years ago

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We have made it guys, we have fucking made it back to a Serefin chapter! It’s a bloody miracle! I swear, the predominantly Nadya chapters felt like they would never end. And I have never missed mediocrity more than when I read Nadya’s chapters. Let’s see what this dumbass is up to.

Svoyatovi Leonid Barentsev: A cleric of Horz, he lived in Komyazalov as an academic who taught the Codex of the Divine. It is believed Tranavian assassins poisoned him, but his body was never recovered nor found.

If his body was never recovered or found, then how the bloody hell would you know if he was poisoned or not? Why would an assassin poison someone and then dispose of their body? His body is just gone and the immediate conclusion they jump to is that he was poisoned? The fuck? Why not just straight up killed? Who’s to say he wasn’t dismembered or gruesomely stabbed or something?

Serefin’s in his bedroom and Kacper comes in. He’s looked better. Serefin mentions that he hasn’t had a drink in hours and that’s a very good thing! I am proud of you, Serefin, keep it that way. But anyways, Kacper doesn’t have very good news for him, after getting a little roughed up by a Vulture.

He mentions that members of noble families were missing and then:

The Vultures and the king were working together—though Serefin knew that wasn’t quite true. Puppet strings. They had nearly succeeded in their goal with a new experiment, so said the papers. But their last was too strong-willed and difficult to control. They were moving to a new step in their gruesome process and placing his father at the center of it.

It felt like a sick joke. As if everything had been in front of his face the whole time but he had been too focused on the wrong things to see it. The Tranavians’ flight from the gods hadn’t been so simple and easy as magic and atheism.

...

If he was reading this correctly—and he wasn’t sure he was—the Vultures had found a way to more power than any mortal should ever be able to reach, and they were going to give it to Izak Meleski. For a price. A sacrifice. That little anecdote from Pelageya about a mortal becoming divine now felt sickeningly ironic. It would only cost Izak his son, a paltry trade in the grand scheme of things. What was Serefin’s life in comparison to unlimited power?

This was his father’s chance to finally prove to his kingdom and his people that he wasn’t just a weak king and weak blood mage. He would be more; he would be greater. He would become a god.

So here it is! A plot twist that I predicted ages ago - that Serefin’s father, with the Vultures, is planning on attaining godhood. And this way, he kills two birds with one stone - getting rid of the focal point of his inferiority complex and getting the sacrifice necessary to obtain all of this power. Through Serefin, he will become better than Serefin. Also gosh, I wonder who the other experiment was.

Serefin gets pissed off and is like “fuck dad”, and uses his blood magic to destroy all the magical bug spells placed on his room.

“Do you know who this former success is?” Serefin pointed at a line in the report.

“The Black Vulture is likely, but, no, I have no idea.”

Serefin rubbed his forehead. The Black Vulture wasn’t important right now.

GOSH, I WONDER WHO THE OTHER EXPERIMENT WAS.

Seriously, for real. Malachiasz is the bloody Black Vulture and the experiments just explain his powerfulness that makes him more powerful than Mr. Scary High Prince himself. There we go, plot twists done!

Also I love how Serefin just dismisses the Black Vulture entirely, a person who is the supposed king of all of these mega Ironteeth witch blood cultists.

When had his father’s mind snapped? He tried to think back further—he had been so out of touch with what happened in Tranavia while he was at the front; were there signs all along? He thought of the Tranavian villages he’d ridden through, destitute and close to fading away entirely. His father seemed indifferent about the plight of the country as a whole, the plight this war was spurring forward. It hadn’t always been like that. He remembered when his father cared, even if it was years ago.

He might never know when things had changed.

Izak Meleski reminds me of Garon, except Garon got Valg’d by a dragon god and kidnapped a child and made that child his child. At least Izak hasn’t done that, at least. So that’s a plus! Also, I oddly feel for Serefin in this moment, the idea that he feels like it was his fault for not noticing sooner, that he should’ve seen the changes in his father and could’ve done something about it.

They realise that his father is planning on using the blood of all the noble blood mages who have come for the Rawalyk, on top of Serefin’s.

“I’ll be dead, so I don’t really care what will happen to my father.” Serefin countered. “But, what if . . . what if it has been done before?” he muttered, mind racing. “The answer is here.”

Kacper lifted his head. “What?”

“The witch. The witch’s words, blood and bone. ‘Gut the Kalyazi churches, melt their gold, grind their bones.’ What else did she say?”

“‘What if those gods the Kalyazi worship aren’t gods at all?’” Kacper asked, horror lacing his voice.

Serefin nodded slowly. He didn’t care about the Kalyazi gods, but if they were something else entirely, what would that mean for Tranavia?

I mean, that depends on your definition of what a god is. Just because you think they might’ve been once human doesn’t mean they aren’t gods, it’s all about interpretation. If one believes that the Kalyazi gods are gods, then that’s what they are, even if they didn’t pop out of nowhere into existence.

Like, that’s how religion works - it’s all about belief, really. If enough people believe in something or someone, then you give them power. Then, to you, they become what you believe them to be. If Kalyazin believe their pantheon are gods, then that’s what they are, regardless of what they truly were.

“So, what do we do?”

Serefin tried to think but came up blank. What could they do? What could they do when his mad father was steps away from godlike powers?

What could they do when the very girl who communed with these creatures had slipped from their grasp and was out in the world to wreak havoc?

“Do we truly have no way to find the cleric?”

Kacper’s dark gaze met Serefin’s pale eyes knowingly. “Is going back to the witch wise? Your father will suspect you’re up to something.”

Serefin waved to the blood smeared on the table behind him. His father already suspected. “I am up to something.”

Oh boy, if only you had the opportunity and the magic to track down the cleric and bring her back to the capital- oh wait. Look, Serefin, despite all the odds I have ended up liking you the most because you’re the most tolerable character in this book, but I am going to continue to hold that against you because it’s still stupid. And against the author, ofc.

Although, in hindsight, it’s probably a good thing that you didn’t, because then your father would’ve used her blood to fuel his godly plans and that would’ve turned out terrible for you. Also yes! More Pelageya! She’s fun.

Ostyia turns up to get ready for dinner and they give her the report from the salt mines. She reads and she isn’t happy about it, either. She burns the letter with elemental blood magic and she says they can figure shit out later.

Serefin grimaced. A god. Hearing it aloud made it feel all the more real and all the more terrifying. There was a reason Tranavia had broken from the hold of the gods. There was a reason they had rejected the rules and the customs, the constant oppression of having a being greater than you rule over you by their own idea of morality. What his father was doing wasn’t going to change anything; it was just going against the entire essence of being Tranavian.

If Serefin had to cut him down to restore the throne to what it should be, so be it. His father had lost his right to the throne by reaching for this kind of ideal. Reaching for more power was one thing—that was admirable—but this? This was too far. It would crumble Tranavia’s already delicate government.

See, this is a tad bit interesting and makes sense under the circumstances of what Tranavian society is now. It’s like how they conspired to kill Julius Caesar because they feared all he wanted to be was King of Rome, and that went against the very existence of the Roman Republic.

His father is not worthy to rule not because he’s a weak blood mage, not because he’s power hungry, but because it goes against their principles. Serefin simply defines he’s not worthy of leading Tranavia because he no longer is worthy of calling himself a Tranavian, basically.

It’s far more compelling than the absolute clusterfuck that was going on in Nadya’s POV.

#sarah reads ws

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dorkyungsoowrites · 6 years ago

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I've basically fallen from. The face of the earth, I ended up doing construction full time??? It's awful 10/10 do not recommend. Have ghosted everyone and everything. I come back and peep but am a giant scaredy cat to interact. If you're still down I'd love to hear director's commentary about Fatal Ties?? 😭

It’s very flattering that you’re this interested in my writing. I already sent you a private message about the other parts of this ask so this is all commentary. I had way more to say than I thought but it was fascinating to re-visit these passages and realize some things I missed before, and just expose myself I guess haha.

Before I start this is one of two warnings. I hardly ever get to talk about my writing in depth so I’m going to be indulgent. In other words, this will be lengthy. I’m putting it all under a read more.

Fatal Ties Director’s Commentary

Chapter 1:

Firstly, I’ve edited this chapter on my own and it reads completely different now. No, I will not be posting the edited chapters here. I’ve change the pov and given each character a different name in order to make it a full, original mafia story. I have not gone back and read this story in months at this point though so the thoughts that spring to mind should be interesting/informative if not entertaining.Also of note real quick, there will be dark and less than savory topics mentioned; namely violence, child abuse, human trafficking, nonbinary erasure, drugs, and sexual violence. None ad nauseam, but they are themes strung throughout this story and I feel it’s important you’re warned before continuing. If you are sensitive to these or think you may be triggered please do not force yourself to read this. Most of it is in chapter 5, but still. That being said, it won’t be all doom and gloom so let’s just jump into it.

Typically I enjoy starting off a story with dialogue or an action. Here, it was dialogue. Baekhyun entering the Boss’ manor to meet them. I think the best starting point for a story is the inciting incident for the main plot-line. Many mainstream scripts are structured so you see what the main characters lives are like on the regular before the balance is upset, but in writing I feel that bogs down the first few chapters so I skip it. This is fanfiction for fun so who cares about setup. It’s Baekhyun. There’s an arranged marriage. You know the drill.

For “Fatal Ties” the Boss has been working on this truce for years, but the main plot of the telling is them actually meeting Baekhyun, and how that changes them as their relationship grows. The Boss doesn’t like the idea of marrying a stranger. Let alone someone from the rival syndicate. Who would? Baekhyun, as they find out rather quickly. He’s too amorous about it all. They don’t trust Baekhyun. They believe he’s a honeypot the other boss sent to spy on them. I mean, of course they think that. Baekhyun is clumsily flirting and overly flattering. Spitting compliments out excitedly at every turn even though it’s clear he knows nothing about them. Calling them princess and doll. They’ve worked too hard for too long, and sacrificed too much to suffer being mis-gendered in their own home by some immature idiot. They don’t suffer being looked down on or erased anymore. They will be recognized for who they are, and as an equal to every other mafia boss.

Their rage boils inside them with every slip. The moment the Boss grabs Baekhyun’s collar is when I tried to set up how precarious this all is. That threat isn’t empty. The Boss will kill him and the rest of his family if this contract doesn’t work out. They’d rather just sign a contract though. Less work and no sloppy transition times as mentioned in the next chapter.

Speaking of which, this contract isn’t legally binding. It’s more an honor contract than anything. That’s why Baekhyun is there to marry the Boss. It’s really just another business deal to the Boss. That’s how real mafias joined their houses in the past. I made this more clear by adding this line to the Boss’ dialogue in the edit: “Also contracts in our…realm of business aren’t legally binding so it’s insurance. Symbolic more than anything, really, but that’s that.”

As a side note, I ended up doing far more research than I anticipated for this. Most of the knowledge I acquired hasn’t been utilized yet, but I refuse to think I wasted hours of my life reading business, money laundering and fraud law for nothing. Limited liability, shell corporations, deficits, ugh it’s giving me a headache just thinking about all the jargon I had to sift through.

Okay back to the thing. I made a conscious decision to describe the Boss’ manor as such. Their dad built up the drug business. They’re just tweaking it to be more profitable. It hasn’t been revealed yet, but their dad wanted to surround himself with expensive things to feel more important and successful since he started from near nothing. The Boss, on the other hand, doesn’t enjoy living in this big house. It’s too cold and empty. They want to live in a normal home further from the city and have their only worry be about if their garden is getting enough sunlight. A peaceful life. That won’t happen unless a truce is called between them and Baekhyun’s family. It truly means everything to them that this marriage go well.

Had someone tell me it was so satisfying when the Boss smashed that mug over Baekhyun’s head. That felt good. I figured that’s the first major tell of their character. They get annoyed at being mis-gendered and harassed, but instead of leaving or yelling or anything a regular person might do, they lash out with violence. They were raised in the mafia where mistakes were atoned with blood. You ever seen “John Wick 3”? Fucking love Keanu Reeves. Some of my favorite action movies. Anyway, sort of like that. The Boss has very little mercy in them. Or patience. Bad combination. But for good reason. Any small slip-up could result in life in prison, so yeah.

The other major tell of character was in what the Boss did right after. Cleaning up the broken mug. They take responsibility for what they knew was a mistake. They clean up their own mess. They immediately know to call for Yixing the doctor and calmly explain things to Baekhyun when he wakes up. I intentionally never had them say “sorry.” They admit they were wrong to hit him, but they don’t apologize. Even so, the moment Baekhyun sees a glimmer of a chance for approval from the Boss he jumps in to help cover it up. Knowing that if his parents found out they hit him any peace that might’ve been forming would be tenuous at best. More likely, his dad would take it as a personal attack and retaliate.

Then right at the end Baekhyun shows some kind of guilt and/or concern for causing their hand injury and it throws off the Boss’ instincts. Suddenly he’s willing to shoulder the blame and offering to help. Being respectful. A total flip from before. It makes the Boss harden their guard more. Proving he shouldn’t be trusted. Or, at least, they can’t entertain the possibility that he’s trustworthy. Not yet. Still, he’s saving them significant stress by lying to his parents about his head, so the Boss is much more gentle in turning him down before going to bed.

Chapter 2:

Despite what it looks like, this sex scene was not put in gratuitously. It’s very, very important setup for just about everything else, and it’s filled with foreshadowing. I knew it would be important to get a glimpse at the Boss’ secret affair in it’s normality before it got twisted a few chapters later. It shows a peek into the Boss’ hidden personal desires. They crave real affection. Their issues prevent them from actually believing that Kyungsoo loves them, but deep down they hope it’s true. They’re wary of entertaining those hopes however, because that means they could have a weakness for others to exploit. See literally any secret agent plot-line ever. The loved ones are threatened first and used as leverage for the villains. So the Boss denies that it’s anything more than physical.

I tried to convey the timeline a bit better later, but just so it’s clear Baekhyun meets the Boss three years after they’ve taken over from their dad. So Kyungsoo and them met back then and very painfully slowly the tension grew. I will admit to having fun imagining this bit in my own head just cause I love sexual tensions that build until they break and it’s this massive burst of passion. The Boss doing their best to keep everything professional, turning Kyungsoo down when he tried to talk to them, until finally they caved. Realizing after having a few conversations with him that, “fuck…I’ve liked him this whole time.” They’re around each other literally all the time. A bond had formed without them even noticing. Once it was noticed it took yet another year of Kyungsoo flirting and finding excuses to touch them, like, on the base of their spine, their hair, their hand, etc, before their will broke and they gave in. They’re both horrible at communicating it, but they do care for one another. Maybe at varying degrees, but they care. I hope that was made clear in this chapter.

Of note, Kyungsoo’s immediate hatred of Baekhyun, the fact he brought it up after the Boss had already switched off their brain to be submissive, the pet names he uses, the fact that the call for silence at the end is explained from the Boss’ perspective, and when he brings up the idea of wiping out Baekhyun’s family without a contract there’s this sentence: “He was back on this nonsense again.”

The theme here is control, if you didn’t notice. The Boss enjoying a space where they’re safe out of control, Kyungsoo trying to convince them not to give up sole control of their business by partnering, etc. That’s not all the foreshadowing, but I don’t want to make the plot too easy to predict by giving them away.

The last few paragraphs are the deep dive into the Boss’ motivations and reasoning. I think it’s also the second time Baekhyun’s family’s business is alluded to, but I’ll reveal that in a later chapter commentary when it’s possible for the reader to have deduced it on their own. It also shows in the last few lines where the Boss’ priorities are. The contract is number one. They will sacrifice everything for it. Even what may be their only chance at something close to love.

Chapter 3:

This is the second time I’ve written the main character eating eggs on toast. It’s delicious, and I lack the creativity to describe different foods. It’s just to pace the scene with actions because they’re eating instead of just sitting around. If one day my works are looked at by English professors they’ll probably say it symbolizes the Boss’ practical, fast-paced lifestyle. It doesn’t. I just like eggs on toast.

The fact Baekhyun doesn’t lie about snooping is the first big revealing thing showing that he doesn’t really want to. He doesn’t care about being caught because he just doesn’t care that much. He makes the remark about firing the guards posted outside his door as a joke. Ha-ha I walked around your house doing nothing with no supervision. He doesn’t realize how grave a mistake that was. He doesn’t realize that remark was the cause of two lives being ruined by the Boss. He will understand later because, as you learn later, he listens in on the Boss’ meeting with those guards via bug he put in their blazer. I have not written the effect of that yet, but it did affect Baekhyun. There’s a very clear butterfly effect from this one small choice.

Next he tries to get Kyungsoo to talk. He plays it off as trying to get to know the head of security. Needling the Boss to try and prove his hunch that it was Kyungsoo he heard them fucking the night before. I didn’t bother insinuating he had suspicions about anyone else because Baekhyun is smart and he knows that 1) Yixing is the only other person he’s met so far and that wasn’t his voice. 2) Kyungsoo is at the Boss’ side all day, and he hasn’t spoken around Baekhyun yet.

When he sees the Boss is about to leave he uses the name “kitten.” Baiting them by antagonizing them. Switching his tactics. The day before he had played up the whole “I’m here to do what you want” thing and now he’s realized he should be more domineering. He doesn’t always succeed because that’s not entirely in his nature, but here it sort of works to, as John Mulaney and JJ Bittenbinder would say, “throw them off their rhythm.”

I amuse myself by adding in little quirks to the Boss. Each time I describe a room it’s meant to be pictured immaculate and modern with everything in perpendicular lines. Showing that they’re a little peculiar about style and cleanliness. Anal retentive one might even say. All their clothes are tailored, most of them are suits, the mass of cabinets in the kitchen so the counters are clear, etc. Another side note, this is set in the 2000’s mostly for law reasons. Some didn’t exist until later which made what the Boss does near impossible to get away with, but I wanted cell phones and I’m picky about realism like that. So 2000’s decor. Black and white with pops of color in the decorations, chrome, clean finishes. I work in interior design so I was a little particular about some stuff for no reason other than my own amusement like the big kitchen with white countertops, and the blue and grey paisley wing-back chairs. When I edit this chapter I’m going to go into more detail on the rug though to give a clearer picture when the blood ruins it. Which really did cause the Boss dismay just like the bloody hand wrappings. For cleanliness but also they don’t like conducting business at home outside of paperwork and research. I thought it showed more about their character that they were upset over the bloody wrappings rather than the dead body and such.

My favorite part about writing the Boss’ character is how they’re constantly in a shade of darker grey. Everyone operates in shades of grey, but I love it when I see characters that are closer to the black and yet you’re still cheering for them. They’re morally corrupt and objectively not a good person, but you still like them. They’re still the hero, so to speak, of the story. That’s what I’m trying to achieve with the Boss. Back to “John Wick.” He’s a good example. So is Loki. They’re mass murderers, but we as an audience still love them because they feel like real people. Their motivations garner sympathy, and it’s their methods that are skewed. I love the challenge of threading that line between the Boss being the protagonist and villain simultaneously. Referring back to a line Kyungsoo had; they may need to be protected from themselves. Disney villain style I guess. Their actions cause their own doom. Not necessarily because the hero did anything. Gaston, Clayton, The Evil Queen, Frollo, Scar, etc, etc. You get it. I love that. That’s not giving away the ending, by the way. I don’t like following formulas too much. I honestly haven’t even decided on an ending yet. There’s lots of options. I’ll decide when I get there.

Anyway, this chapter was my attempt at showing more of that dark grey for the boss. They could have just as easily let the guards off with a warning, or broken a finger or something, but instead they went for the extreme. “Their offense was too great” as the chapter says. All they did was let Baekhyun out of his room, you might say. The Boss doesn’t see it that way. They don’t know what Baekhyun did unsupervised all night. But somehow he already found out about one of the few secrets that could topple everything out of balance. Their affair. Not that his family is sensitive over infidelity or anything, but it was what the Boss was afraid of; Kyungsoo being used against them. A weakness. Baekhyun found their weakness just like that, and they thought the reason was the guards letting him out. If Baekhyun hadn’t gotten restless legs, or just not teased the Boss about walking around that morning, they probably wouldn’t have checked the security footage, and those guards would’ve survived.

Instead, the Boss outright kills one and mutilates the other. Framing him so he’d go to prison. They enjoy taking out their frustration on the guard. In their mind he deserves it for being careless.

Had someone comment a reference to Yixing with the whole “act of kindness, act of cruelty. Balance” thing, but that was actually inspired by a scene in season 2 of Fargo. Although both people end up dying in that show. Love that show. Inspired this whole thing actually. I know I’ve mentioned that somewhere else before, but it’s true. It’s one of my favorites it’s so brilliant. I don’t think this will ever be up to par with that, but I’m okay with that.

Point being, consequences. Baekhyun’s choices had a ripple effect, and they continue past this chapter.

Chapter 4:

Obviously you find this out later, but Baekhyun was listening to the Boss and Kyungsoo on those headphones. Not music.

The Boss gives in to talking with Baekhyun in the car because they find it cute he’s acting like a puppy. Also because he might let something else slip. Oh, also, the line about them lying about nothing being wrong was them being worried about Baekhyun blabbering about their affair with Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun attempts to have a normal conversation, but it doesn’t stay that way for long. All the Boss can talk about is work. If you’ve ever watched “Hot Fuzz” I imagine this interaction playing something like the first day Nicholas and Danny are together. It’s not as sharp as in that movie, but the feeling of a less experienced person questioning this serious person with the least serious questions. Baekhyun sees this as a game or a movie more than something real and dangerous. He only heard the meeting in the last chapter, after all. He doesn’t realize yet that the gunshot killed that guard. He’s watched his mom get married to a mafia leader and live rich like an actress. He’s naive of the price it takes to stay comfortable like that. It’s still a movie where people are killed off screen and there are no major repercussions. Even in his answer about the knife he says he would kiss them as if it were some James Bond film.

I tried to make it clear, but just to spell it out, Baekhyun is the rival leader’s step-son. He has two step-brothers from the rival leaders’ two previous marriages–Minseok and Jongin. So he didn’t grow up in this dark, depraved world like these other characters. He was folded in at an older age. He’s more the black sheep of the family because he’s not blood related. That’s why he says he was happy to marry the Boss. But it’s still seeing through this movie lens. He doesn’t know what it really means to learn how to run a syndicate, and the Boss sees that. They scoff at him and can’t take him seriously.

At the meeting the reason the Boss wants to crack the mask of Minseok is to feel out his real personality. In their mind, every lawyer is an actor who writes a script before trial and reads it for an audience–the jury. They wanted to see Minseok when not acting. When they see he has a spine, oh buddy, they would’ve dropped Baekhyun for Minseok right then and there if it was their choice.

Oh, yeah, and they’re totally straight up manipulating Baekhyun. Using that nickname as faux affection. Letting his family think Baekhyun’s honeypot skills were working, and Baekhyun that his regular charm was getting them to like him.Baekhyun’s mom mentioning they operate hotels, yes, interesting. She’s also in fantasyland if you can tell. Planning their wedding as if they were in love and not out of business arrangement. She’s not naive to the real purpose of the meeting, but her focus and excitement is in the wedding which is why everyone’s just kind of letting her do all the planning.

The last thing I’ll say on this chapter is from part of my response to someone asking about the Boss’ goals. They want to gain customers, profit and influence. Expand their drug empire. It’s a smart business move. Simple as that. If you want more detail, then they want symbiosis. It’s a hassle having to work an underground drug ring when there’s cops, let alone another gang out for their blood. Getting Baekhyun’s family to stop the violence against their group and help is the only smart move in their eyes.

Chapter 5:

Oofda strap in this one gets real dark. This is the chapter most of those warnings at the beginning were for so feel free to skip to the next chapters commentary if you want.

Yes the lapel grab was an intentional mirror of the one Baekhyun did at breakfast in chapter two. Just felt like it. No special reason.

An extreme disconnect from human lives? Hotels? Even the Boss thinks it’s wrong? What the fuck does Baekhyun’s family do? Congrats if you’ve figured it out already. The major giveaway is in a bit though.

The whole, “I like things that are beautiful and strong” thing is a reference to a video game character named Zevran who’s a pansexual assassin and one of the loves of my life. Life-changing, that dialogue. Perfectly worded how my pansexuality felt. It meant a lot at the time so it’s stuck with me. When I edit this though I’m gonna change it around a bit. It’s too close to the actual game dialogue right now.

When the Boss retreats it’s because they felt breathless. They’re in denial about being afraid, but it’s cause they’ve never felt attraction like that before. Sincere fondness, and it went both ways. They actually felt something for Baekhyun. So they counteract it to the extreme and pretend to be emotionless and dismissive. To the point of being cruel when speaking about him to Kyungsoo as if he were a dog that needed to be locked in its kennel.

The throwing things is just Baekhyun being petty. He is angry, but not super mad. Enough to want to make the Boss hear his anger. Not enough to keep it up for long though.

More foreshadowing once Kyungsoo comes in. There’s been other stuff in between too. I like reading it and cackling in villainy because I know all the secrets.

Now let’s take a moment while reading the first part of this sex scene and just reflect on how Baekhyun is listening to everything happening.

…

Alright let’s continue. We stan a man who’s good at oral.

Okay sorry let’s actually continue. I’m delaying the inevitable here.

This section was hard to write, and I know it’s hard to read too, but it’s important to the story to have it described. Not only for awareness, as I have experienced something very similar and didn’t know what was wrong, or why I felt the way I did afterward, until much much later. But also because this is a major event that drastically changes how the Boss interacts with just about everyone, and their relationships. I know there are stories out there that use sexual violence as a plot device, and I’ve tried my best not to do that. I hope I’ve handled it with sensitivity and care. Being mindful of how certain things are worded and such. If you don’t take anything else away from this I do want you to know this: this is consensual. It is not rape. The Boss is just as confused about what happened as I’m sure some of you are. They’re deeply conflicted about it, but they push it down and ignore it at first. That’s the point. Shades of grey. Conflict. Revelation of characters. Okay, on with the rest of it.

The consent. The unreadable twinkle in his eye. If it wasn’t obvious, Kyungsoo gets off on having control over the Boss. This possessiveness is turning into a poison. Hearing that they want him unequivocally ends up being the toes hanging off the edge of the cliff before the plummet.

“He took what he wanted from you and you gave willingly.” That’s the line that explains why the Boss doesn’t do anything when Kyungsoo starts going too far with the pain levels. Gripping their thighs too hard. He already gave them the tension release and satisfaction. They were reciprocating, they thought. They felt safe with Kyungsoo. That’s why their trysts worked. They trusted Kyungsoo to keep them safe at all times. They could let go and not think, but for some reason that night turns out to be different.

When Kyungsoo screws his eyes shut, it’s the point of no return. No matter what they did from then on it would end the same way. He’s blocking out the expression on their face. He’s trying his damnest to focus on finishing. He’s lost control. As stated, some conflict is making him frustrated, and he’s taking it too far. He should have stopped, but something makes him keep going.

When they hold Kyungsoo closer, they’re in denial. And they’ll stay in denial that anything wrong had happened for a while. Kyungsoo slows at this point and there’s hope that he’ll come back to himself. He moves them into a more comfortable position and removes his hands from their bruising grip. Kissing their neck and chest even. The pain when he thrusts inside is more layover from the previous actions than rough treatment in that moment. They could still call the night rough play. Let’s call this the good timeline.

I still have so many emotions when his hand clamps tighter on their mouth and he mutters, “almost there.” The desperation and pain and guilt laced through his tone in my head breaks my heart a bit.

The Boss is not a fragile person. They’ve always been able to exert some amount of control in their life. But when they can’t stop Kyungsoo suddenly they feel helpless. The person they trusted is hurting them, and it’s not even malicious. They can’t even think through all the pain.

After Kyungsoo finishes neither of them have time to process what happened before Baekhyun screams. By the emotions flickering on Kyungsoo’s face though, it’s implied he knows he fucked up very, very badly and is experiencing clarity.

I really just added in the Baekhyun struggling with guards in his underwear thing for some levity in the transition between heavy things. He could’ve been dressed and just yelling from his doorway, sure, but that’s no fun.

Baekhyun ends up confessing to planting multiple listening devices after convincing the Boss to get Kyungsoo to leave. But instead of their first thought being one of anger or worry over leaked secrets, the Boss thinks about his confession. It’s the second time this chapter they’ve thought about Baekhyun in a positive light when there were more pressing matters.

“I know the difference between playing rough and abuse. I know what real pain sounds like. Trust me.“ And, "Kyungsoo is much more suited for working for my family. You know that right?” are the two biggest clues about what Baekhyun’s family does. Have you guessed yet? Locked in your answer? It’s prostitution and sex trafficking.

When Baekhyun says he was terrified hearing their screams it’s because he’s scarred from his step-dad’s "hotel business.” Saying that Kyungsoo is more suited for his family’s work implies things about his character that the Boss refuses to question. However Baekhyun crying is also out of relief that he didn’t find them more severely injured. With his family he was powerless to help the people they extorted and manipulated and took advantage of. He was able to do something here, though. He was able to scream and kick and call attention to it, even if he was a little late. He was able to help. Which is why he so readily agrees to get rid of the bugs to get the Boss to call Yixing.

Right before he leaves he contemplates trying to kiss them. His relief doesn’t overpower his smarts though, and he thinks better of it. I think the Boss would’ve called Yixing anyway, but they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to also get something from Baekhyun.

Chapter 6:

I am so…emotionally exhausted from that last chapter, but there’s not much left at this point so let’s finish.

Jongdae calling himself Greased Lightning. Just felt like referencing Grease that day I guess. Wanted a dumb code name no one actually uses.

Agh that should say white collar crime oops.

“I’d call you a genius, but I’m in the room.” Lazy reference to Sherlock. Should take it out.

“Opening him up balls to brain.” Honestly that’s just straight up out of Game of Thrones. I loved the line too much haha. Took inspiration from Petyr Baelish on the bit about killing an innocent man with the guilty one to throw off suspicion too.

I actually did math the figure out the dimensions of the tie grid cause I’m like that I guess.

Originally the Boss was gonna reward him by just spending more time with him, but after the…incident, they decided to teach him a bit too. They realized he was smart and amicable to change.

“They know, and they know when to bail” is actually a reference to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood with something Olivier said up on the North wall.

The “there are plenty worse than you” realization hits a lot harder knowing his family does what they do. It still gets me reading that line. He’s been through so much.

Pretty self explanatory on why the Boss doesn’t give in to their desires about Baekhyun. He’s too submissive still. They want someone to challenge them. Baekhyun gives them a glimpse at the possibility he’s capable, but it disappears just as fast.

As I was describing the city they’re driving home from I was thinking of Chicago, but as someone who’s visited many major cities it could be any of them really. In my head it’s Northern California though, mostly because 1) there’s plenty of stories out there now about mafia in New York or Chicago or Las Vegas. 2) they have history with mafia in real life that moved up there from the L.A. areas. 3) lots of coastal cities up that way where Baekhyun’s family could be doing business. Let’s not even get into all the organized crime in San Francisco and San Jose. Of course for this fanfiction version it could be in South Korea who knows. I only know American law so that’s how I think in terms of writing the Boss avoiding cops and what-not.

The fact the chapter didn’t end with the ties being purchased should’ve been the warning that something bad was gonna happen. This chapter was going too well, and there’s still no major conflict. Enter gunmen.

Also side note, I always end up doing way more research than necessary on almost every story. Spent a few hours reading about and looking at videos of bulletproof cars being shot with different calibers and doing 180’s and stuff to more accurately write this chase. I just like doing research I suppose. Definitely love learning new things. I’ll go down several google deep dives on any given subject during a month. It’s fun learning new things. The last one I did was a deep dive into fashion in the 1700’s which I think I’ve decided to use in the next requested story. They didn’t ask for it to be historical, but now I want to write about elaborate dresses so there.

“It was lucky.” It wasn’t. I can’t explain why yet though.

Chapter 7:

Y'all ever experienced stitches before? The scars are hard to get rid of. Okay that’s my commentary on that.

Actually no. If Baekhyun had gone to a legitimate doctor they probably would’ve used glue so the scar would be faint, but mafia doctor. Okay moving on.

There are handguns that hold more than seven rounds, but I couldn’t pass up referencing “John Wick 2.”

“I don’t know. Were you thinking, ‘holy shit holy shit, I just almost got shot’?” is a reference to the movie “Get Smart.” Y'all seeing a pattern yet? haha. Mostly just wanted a joke there. It sprung to mind. Although I do have a few lists with lines or words that I’ve seen and written down to use later, then I try to work them in somehow. It’s a dangerous method. It’s breed whole chapters and stories before. But I have a horribly inconsistent memory. Gossamer is a good example. Saw that word used somewhere, went, “ooh I like that word”, wrote it in the list, then used it in this chapter. While we’re on writing technique, I also really love using alliteration to emphasize certain sentences or pretty-up descriptions. It started because I was writing a character that talks in prose and poetry, and he does that all the time, but I liked how it sounded so I just kinda kept doing it. That character is Cole from Dragon Age by the way.

The rest of this is just setting up the mystery. Who in the car was the target? Who was shooting? Who’s the mole? Is there even a mole, or is someone simply following them? Will Baekhyun keep pushing for answers? Will the Boss cause the trouble they’re trying to avoid by retreating inward? Will any of them get killed? How could Baekhyun’s decision near the beginning possibly butterfly more?

Interesting, yes, hm. Time for more sinister cackling.

#thanks for asking #ask game #fatal ties

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pippastrelle · 6 years ago

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FIXING KINGDOM HEARTS III

Even if I loved KH3, I think everyone will admit it had problems. This is my thought project on how I think those problems could have been fixed without greatly altering any of the main plot points, worlds, or gameplay.

My main problems were:

The pacing, especially with the introductions/impacts of the New Organisation XIII

The aimlessness of Sora’s adventures and how they don’t really explain what the power of waking is for most of the plot

How superfluous Maleficent, Pete, and the box felt

Girl X’s sudden appearance

Fridging Kairi, and the lack of payoff for her and Lea’s training

Set-Up/Overarching Plot

The game’s main story is Team Light’s response to Xehanort’s new Organisation promising a second Keyblade War. They are gathering 13 Darknesses and the only way to fight them is with 7 Lights. Team Light doesn’t want a new Keyblade War. However, this could be their chance to stop Xehanort once and for all. In search of their lights, Team Light also takes this opportunity to rescue Master Eraqus’ pupils: Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. Although, they don’t know where Terra is and they know Ventus’ body and heart are both lost. This sets up the three main plot threads:

1) Kairi and Lea deciding to train to be keyblade wielders to be two of the seven guardians of light.

2) Riku and Mickey searching the vast Realm of Darkness for Aqua - she helped both of them and she’s the only one who can find Ventus’ body.

3) Sora working to regain his strength so he can get his power of waking again to recover Ventus’ heart. Here, Yen Sid explains what the power of waking is at the beginning: a way of connecting with and retrieving sleeping/lost hearts that Sora can use because of his strong, connected heart.

(Olympus)

First, Sora goes to Olympus with the hope of training with Phil and regaining his strength that way. Except, he has to deal with Hades instead. The story plays out more or less the same but Xigbar appears more frequently, taunting Sora about Team Light’s attempt to avoid the incoming Keyblade War and how he’ll never be able to resist being the hero. Xigbar turns up with Heartless and Nobodies for Sora to fight to prove his point.

Meanwhile, in the background, Pete and Maleficent look for the black box. At this point, they’re relatively calm about it but their searching does result in one building collapse and an increase of Heartless in the area, which Sora (unknowingly) has to deal with. Xigbar appears soon after to distract him and seemingly explain the Heartless.

Still, Hades was the main source of problems in this world. While Sora was feeling down (in his own way) about his new weaknesses, he learns to get back up on his feet. He and Herc also realise that the best way for Sora to regain his strength is to do what he did to get strong in the first place: travel the worlds, making connections and protecting whoever is in danger, regardless of this new Keyblade War. He’s not going to let this new Organisation threaten people.

The Main Story in the Disney Worlds

The worlds’ stories play out the same way. We still get updates on both Riku and Mickey difficulties in the Realm of Darkness throughout the game too, as well as updates on Ienzo’s mission to find out from Ansem the Wise’s data how they can bring back Roxas and Namine.

(The New Organisation)

Meanwhile, the Organisation continue to antagonist Sora as he travels to whichever worlds need him. They appear more frequently than they do in the game, provoking the characters into driving the plot forwards while providing the occasional miniboss.

1) Xigbar (Olympus), Xemnas and Ansem SoD (Twilight Town), and Vanitus (Monstropolis) taunt Sora about how inevitable the war is and how he will have to play the role they set for him.

2) Similarly, Marluxia (Corona) and Larxene (Arendelle) are sent to threaten some new Princesses of Heart. They set Heartless against them that Sora has to destroy, since these princesses might have to ‘fight’ as the 7 Lights if the Guardians won’t.

3) Meanwhile, Young Xehanort (Toy Box), Vexen and Luxord (The Caribbean), and Riku Replica (Sanfransokyo) spend their time testing theories hearts and puppets. This shows they’re still gathering members through the replica programme and aren’t quite as ready as Larxene said. They are interested in how vessels that might not have had hearts act and they mess with them throughout the worlds to cause conflict.

(The members use their extra screentime to be a bit more fun/characterful as villains. Although, Marluxia, Larxene, Demyx, and Luxord also spend more time raising questions about Xemnas’ choice to bring them back to the Organisation, then their apparent histories as ancient keyblade wielders that none of them can remember. They all go along with the plan for now but they’re curious about what will be unveiled).

(Pete, Maleficent, and the Box)

Pete and Maleficent’s actions are also felt in all the worlds (except Toy Box, Monstropolis, and 100 Acres Woods since they can’t really get to those). They’re actively avoiding Sora, since he ruined all their plans before, but as they get more frustrated, they cause more difficult puzzles for him to overcome. They briefly come into conflict with Luxord in the Caribbean over the box there yet they realise that’s still not the box they need. They’re angry (with Xigbar) and feel like they’ve been on a wild goose chase, until Maleficent realises that this is because the box doesn’t even exist, yet. It need the Keyblade War.

(The Power of Waking)

As Sora defeats the various challenges on each world and connects with the Disney characters (Pooh included), he starts feeling stronger and more confident. Although, he’s still impatient and the fact it hasn’t (noticeably) unlocked the power of waking prevents Yen Sid from letting him join Riku and Mickey’s search for Aqua. It’s this confidence in his heart that leads him to Destiny Islands though and lets him follow everyone into the Realm of Darkness. Then, when he wakes Ventus during the fight with Vanitus, it’s these connections that have strengthened his ability to do so.

As they’ve learnt from Vanitus, the Organisation are ready for the Keyblade War and they are not going to stop. So, Team Light decides they’ll finally ready to just take this opportunity to put an end to them and Xehanort.

Girl X

Ienzo and Vexen both reference their lab’s previous human experimentation, Ienzo with regret and Vexen subtly with Saix. Ansem the Wise is also clearer in referencing her when talking about his regrets. When Saix talks to Lea about it, he more clearly cites her as the reason they were trying to sneak into Ansem the Wise’s laboratory in the first place.

Kairi and Lea’s training

Kairi admit she’s still not brilliant as a keyblade wielder while Lea is also just getting used it, but they want to be able to help. Kairi talks about the bonds they’ve made and how their connections are important, helping them when they might not be able to help themselves. She ties this in to Namine and Roxas (and Xion) and how they’re fighting to save their lost friends.

The Keyblade War Itself

When Xehanort’s 13 members unleash a wave of Heartless on Team Light, it’s as an ‘easy’ way to have light fight darkness. Team Light fends them off though, as predicted. So, Terra(nort) appears to distract both Aqua and Ventus, allowing him to pick several of them off because the Organisation unleashes the new tower of Heartless that finishes the rest off.

In the Final World, it’s no longer an optional scene that Sora talks to Namine and she promises to reach out to Terra to protect them. Meanwhile, Sora uses the power of waking to bring everyone back to their past bodies. He should have lost his own heart in the process but Kairi’s connection with him is enough to bring him back as well. Although, since people lose their memories of the future when they time travel to the past in Kingdom Hearts, it seems they’re doomed to repeat history. Then, the remnants of Terra’s soul in Lingering Will protect them Terranort. This buys enough time for Ephemer and the ancient keyblade wielders to save them from the Heartless, which, in turn, alerts Yen Sid to intervene.

The rest of the finale plays out as it did. Although, this time, Kairi sacrifices herself in the fight against Xemnas. She and Lea had already struggled to fight Xemnas, Saix, and Xion and she didn’t want Lea to be destroyed before he could properly reunite with Roxas and Xion.

In the near-finale confrontation against Xehanort, it’s not just her ‘death’ that motivates Sora either. Kairi tells him to do whatever it takes to defeat Xehanort when he’s unsure whether they should keep fighting (for fear for forging the X-Blade). Lea also repeats a bit of what she told him about Namine and connections when Sora thinks she’s gone.

#kingdom hearts #kh3 #khiii #kingdom hearts iii #kingdom hearts 3 #kh

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