#woah look magic bug

[ratbugs]

reblog to send bugs to prev’s location

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[coniferouspines]

Sharing is caring?

AU where Ford attempts to get in contact with Stan a couple years into living in gravity falls. He’d rather not, but his mother has been bugging him recently about Stan, lamenting about how she lost contact with him months ago and is worried. She asks Ford multiple times to try and find his brother for her, and eventually he gives in.

But Ford isn’t about to give up the life he’s carved out for himself to go searching the whole country for his troublemaker of a brother, oh no. Ford decides to find Stan through magical means. Of course, the spell he finds for it sounds a little iffy, with sections that are worn away, but Ford is sure he has enough knowledge to fill the gaps himself and make it work. The spell should give him Stan’s exact location, and even project a snapshot of Stan’s current view into his mind like a picture.

Ford sets everything up for the spell and. It doesn’t work. He tries again, but still nothing. After pouring over the spell for a few hours, frustratedly trying to figure out where he went wrong, Ford decides to give up for the night and go to bed. He falls asleep.

And wakes up somewhere that’s very much not his home.

“Where am I?” he wonders.

“Woah! Hey! What was—?” someone says back.

Except. Ford didn’t really hear the person audibly speak, so much as he felt as though the words had been projected right into his mind, loud and clear.

“Hello?” he asks tentatively.

“Oh, man, I’ve finally cracked,” the other voice says with worry. “I’m finally hearing voices in my head! I knew I shouldn’t have done so many drugs!”

Ford blinks, except he doesn’t, because his body doesn’t seem to be obeying him. “What?”

His body jumps up, and Ford feels a jolt of panic. He didn’t tell it to move! He didn’t do that! It was just moving on its own!

“What’s going on?” he asks himself.

“You’re asking me?! You’re the random voice that just showed up in my head!” the voice cries back agitatedly.

And Ford… knows that voice. Of course he does.

The voice is mumbling to himself, “Can’t believe the crazy voice has to sound just like my brother too. Of course my brain would do that to me. Why not? Why not an internal Ford to berate me all day?”

“Stanley?” Ford gasps.

“Shut up, fake Ford,” Stan grouses.

Hands come up to grab at the sides of Ford’s head. And they only have five fingers. Normal hands.

…This isn’t Ford’s body.

“The spell,” Ford groans in realization. “It must have done this.”

Stan ignores him, in the middle of his own panic spiral. He pulls on his (their?) hair and it hurts. Ford doesn’t like that. He feels disconnected from the body (of course he does, it’s not his) but he wonders if he can…?

Ford mentally lunges forward. There’s a strange sensation, like he’s grappling with another force, one that’s too surprised to fight back, before Ford metaphorically sits himself in the driver’s seat. He untangles his (Stanley’s. Their) hands from his hair, and looks around the crummy motel room he’s (they’re) in.

“What the hell?!” Stan screams in their new shared mind space. “What did you do?! Voices shouldn’t be able to do that! Give me my body back!”

“You’re not hallucinating,” Ford tries to explain. “I’m not just a voice. Or, well, I am right now.” And he wondered what had happened to his physical body, if it was still back home laying in his bed. “It’s me. Your brother. I seem to have accidentally projected my consciousness into your body.”

“WHAT.”

And then the brothers have to road trip up to gravity falls to check on Ford’s body and hopefully find a way to fix their situation, all while sharing Stan’s body. Arguments are had, and both learn new things about each other. Ford realizes that maybe Stan isn’t doing so great. And what do you mean the mob is after you, Stan? Why does your body ache so much? Why are all your clothes so ratty?

Stan is not so enthused about his unexpected new head-mate, and needs a lot of convincing to even believe that it’s really Ford and not just a hallucination and that he’s finally gone crazy. What do you mean you cast a spell, Ford? Magic isn’t real. What do you mean you aren’t sure how to fix it? You better figure it out; this is a violation of privacy!

TLDR:

In an attempt to find Stan, Ford messes up a spell that transfers his consciousness into Stan’s body. Now they have to share that body until Ford figures out a way to undo it. Discoveries are made, arguments are had, and eventually reconciliation happens.

[lanora-star]

Magical Bat

[Platonic Yandere! Batfam × Neglected! Magical girl! Batsis! Reader]

It was odd wasn't it? The only biological daughter of Bruce Wayne has pink hair

Interviewers, reporters, everyone asked him how is it possible? And the only thing he says is that it's hair dye.... It's not.

The fact is that your mother had pink hair and she had a deep dark secret; she was the leader of a magical group called Clouded Moon Guardians.

And when your mother died during a mission protecting you from a Villainess who went by the name; Sun Blazer....yeah, strange name ain't it? But I mean who are you to judge? Right?

Aways, the others in the Clouded Moon Guardians just quite pestering you about taking your dead mother's role and leader no matter who many times you tried to say no.

You were if that, you are still a kid barely brushing 15 and then that stupid mascot appeared and bugged you to OBLIVION!

And it didn't help that your family seems to and the biggest boner for Justice. But oh no! When it comes to being around for the newly added sister that came from another heroin, they were like oops! Sorry we didn't come to your dance performance or your leading role in Gotham's biggest Musical/Play! And don't you dare forget the 'Sorry sissy, the Joker had kidnapped a bunch of people we'll make it up to you!' Speech on your 15th birthday.

And so you agree to take your mother's place on the Clouded Moon Guardians, becoming a magical girl and you didn't tell anyone.

-

"(Name)! Wake up!" Another member of Clouded Moon Guardians whose guardian name was; Lightning Skye, but her real name was Shoshana, "Huh? Wha — yeah, yeah, I'm up. Jeez, what's the big deal?" Shoshana and the others looked at you like you had two heads.

"This is serious! You are the leader!"

"I never wanted to be the leader."

"Well, you are and so was your mother."

You and Deanna (Her guardian name is Spring Fire) glared at each other, why did she have to be like is? God you wish you could drop dead right now.

"Hey, hey, no fighting!" That damn spirit was always had a stick up their ass, they were the reason for the Clouded Moon Guardians! If you could you would've thrown Rkish into outer space...but you couldn't do that.

-

After the meeting you were walking through an alley that was a short cut to your school: the prim and proper academy that got in through recommendations from your old school that scored you a scholarship to it.

Plus the school you used to go to was the one your mom wanted you to go through your life: the school was the same she wanted to go to when she was a younger hero and the school would've given you a normal life and she wanted that for you after you said you didn't want to be a hero.

But your life feels like it done a 180 on you with your new family, new school, and now being a hero! It sucks really, and as you gaze at the grand gate of the school you let out a groan.

"Heyyy, woah are you okay?" The words snapped you out of your daze as you looked at the brunette named Mia, the only friend you made coming to your new school that when you told Mia your name she and I quote "Wait, your a Wayne? Like in the biggest investor for our school Bruce Wayne?".

Great you thought just great for you that your biological father had donated to the school you got a scholarship to.

"yeah, just....just tried is all..." You mumbled out as the two of you walked into the school.

-

It was slightly nice walking home instead of letting Alfred pick you and Damien up together, Damien would taunt you, pinch you or even scratched you.

And as you walk you don't notice a figure cover in the darkness of alleyways......

-

Hi! I hope you enjoy the story and yes this will be a series!

[luveline]

i feel like the kbd girls would be absolutely over the moon about blue toilet water, steve’s little home improvement promotes him to coolest dad ever, and sweet bethie wants to invite her friend over to show off their cool blue toilet water

(i just remember thinking that was like the coolest thing ever as a kid)

Steve doesn’t hide his smile. “Girls, it’s not gonna be as exciting as you think it is.” 

Avery, Beth, and Dove sit in a line on the bathroom floor, watching. 

“It’s gonna be blue, dad,” Avery says. “That’s exciting.” 

“Sort of weird having you all watch me clean the toilet.” He’d bleached and scrubbed and bleached again, and now he’s wiped down the tank and removed the lid, he’s peeling open the blister pack for the blue cistern tablets. 

“Gross,” Bethie says with a wrinkled nose. 

“It is kind of gross, but that’s why I clean it so much. Okay, are you guys ready? I’m gonna drop it in.” 

They all stand at once to crowd him. Steve tosses a tablet into the cistern and grins as the water turns blue immediately. His fingers are stained with it. He replaces the lid and rinses his fingers before he forgets. 

“Okay. Ready?” 

They all agree in their ways. Avery slaps her hands together and nods, Bethie says, “Yeah!” and Dove attempts to climb his leg like a sloth up a tree trunk. 

“Wait!” Bethie says, tapping Steve’s stomach and running out of the bathroom. Her feet thud across the landing and into your room. 

She drags you into the bathroom by the hand. “Okay, now you can, dad!” 

Steve meets your eyes. “You ready? This is about to change our lives.” 

You look around the upstairs bathroom in surprise. “Woah, what happened in here? It looks like a hotel. Did you scrub the grout? Incredible.” 

“Mom!” Avery yanks you by your shirt to the toilet. Too many people in one place, you smush in next to Steve and he gives you a flirty smile on instinct. “Dad, please do it. I can’t wait anymore.” 

“It’s really gonna let you guys down.” Steve stands at full height and reaches for the flush. 

He presses it. Blue water floods the bowl and, despite the girls having seen exactly how he managed it, they all gasp. Dove giggles wildly against his leg before she reaches her hand toward the water, fingers a hairs width from the bowl when you catch her and drag her up into your arms. 

“Oh no no no,” you say sweetly, turning her to see everyone, “we can’t do that, can we? We don’t put our hands in the toilet.” 

“Wow,” Beth says. “Wow. Dad, it’s magic. Now we can have blue pee.” 

“That’s not how that works, bug.” Steve takes Beth by the shoulders for a quick squeeze, then touches Avery’s, trying to get them to move on. 

“It’s really cool, I love it. Can we have other colours?” Avery asks. Dove squeals in your arms to be put down, but you’re tickling her sides in an attempt to appease her. 

“I’ve only seen blue ones,” Steve says, reluctant to let her down. 

Avery looks exactly like him as she frowns. “Oh.” 

“Can I ask Francesca to come?” Beth asks suddenly, nudging Avery out of the way to look up at him. “Please, dad, can she come look? It’s amazing.” 

“Oh, honey, I think Francesca’s probably seen it before. But we can still ask her tomorrow if she wants to come over, okay? When the rest of the house is clean, not just the bathroom.” 

“Fat chance,” you interject quickly, snorting. 

“Excuse me?” Steve asks. 

You laugh again and dive away as he pokes your side. “Get away from me, freak. I almost dropped my baby.” 

“I can clean this whole house top to bottom in a day. I could do it in my sleep,” Steve says. 

“Sure thing, honey.” 

Avery pokes you in the stomach. “Not nice, mom.” 

“Not nice, mom,” Steve parrots, grinning. “Wow, look at that. This blue toilet water brought us all together.” 

[yallthemwitches]

Sticking the Landing

For @jilytoberfest Day 30: 🎶"where's the trophy? he just comes running over to me"🎶 - The Alchemy by Taylor Swift

I originally wrote just a little snippet pre jilytober but now it’s the longest fic of the collection!

AO3 Here

It lasts only seconds. The shock in her eyes, the warm feel of her arms wrapping around his neck, holding on as he bears all her weight. She makes a little shriek as her feet lift off the ground and momentum spins them together. As far as he is concerned, it is the greatest sound she has ever made.

But the air has to rush back into the world eventually. The minute she touches back down, her brow furrows, eyes darting towards the other side of the pitch where Sawyer stands. The bloke she’s dating stands.

Should I expect to see you in the Gryffindor stands or are you a traitor?

He had wedged the note inside her history of magic textbook. He turns around and waits, watching as her hand grazes the piece of parchment and her lips turn upwards.

Not sure, where does Switzerland sit?

It floats back to him under the table and he catches it without hesitation, not looking away from a droning Professor Binns.

I reckon somewhere in the Beaux Batons stadium.

She can’t help but chuckle at the snarkiness of it. Beside her, Sawyer makes a loud yawn, using his stretch as an excuse to lay his arm around her shoulders. All of the sudden every quippy response she thinks to write back crumbles to dust.

“Godric, this is boring. Should be illegal to have classes before a game.” She doesn’t respond to Sawyer because she knows he doesn’t actually expect one. She tries to focus on class again, and sees out of the corner of her eye James turning around, anticipating a response. With one look at Sawyer’s dangling hand, he whips back around, shoulders now stiff and set.

*******

“Woah, no way Evans. No double agent’s sitting with us on my watch.”

“Bug off, Black.” Lily sidles a little closer to Remus who shoots his mate an annoyed look.

“Er Lily, if your boyfriend is on the other team—does that mean that this is a win-win situation for you?” Peter wheedles out, looking like he’s trying to do a particularly difficult arithmancy equation. Sirius guffaws and slaps him on the back, making him give a sheepish, pink smile.

“Right you are Wormy–I guess you could say that Evans plays for both teams—Ouch!”

Remus leans over behind Lily and pulls hard on Sirius’ earring. “Stop embarrassing me.”

Sirius whimpers like a puppy and Lily can’t help but laugh. She feels bad to not sit over with Sawyer's mates in Hufflepuff, but their relationship is still new and she doesn’t know many of his friends well enough. Besides, she can’t help that the Gryffindor box is vastly more entertaining. Even before she became mates with the marauders, the boys would make a big spectacle, crooning and screaming fabricated songs, trying to get the crowd to participate in wildly ridiculous cheers— it almost made it easy to forget that there was a game going on—almost.

“Alright Evans?”

A tuft of black hair rises up from the bannister, James already on his broom and hovering up to the stands. His new captain’s uniform fits him nicely—the gold plating of his badge bringing out the flecks of honey in his eyes.

“Oi! Prongs! Where’s my good luck kiss?” Sirius starts to make wet kissing noises and Peter grabs his stomach laughing.

James smiles at his friend but his eyes remain on Lily. After years of fighting it, she is willing to admit that she likes him like this: hair actually wind blown instead of a fabricated attempt, mouth permanently set in a wide grin, eyes alight with excitement and zeal—the tight uniforms doesn’t hurt either.

“Thought you’d be sitting with the yellows.”

“Nah, figured someone needed to keep the peanut gallery in check.” Lily nods over to the boys, Sirius now lurching in an attempt to kiss Remus’ ear.

“How noble of you, a real martyr,” James winks, starting to float back to the middle of the pitch. It does something jarring to her heart. “But really–glad to see you here.”

He flies away, the words good luck sitting like a lump in her throat.

*******

THIS IS A NAIL BITER FOLKS—SAWYER DAWSON PASSES THE QUAFFLE TO AMELIA JENKINS. THE HUFFLEPUFFS ARE REALLY PLAYING WITH THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH HERE. BUT WAIT, JAMES POTTER OF GRYFFINDOR SWOOPS IN, HE’S INTERCEPTED THE PLAY. YOU CAN TELL HE’S GOT THIS ONE IN THE BAG—MAYBE GETTING A LITTLE TOO COCKY WITH THOSE FLIPS…

THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH TO END THIS HELLISH TIE BREAKER—AH, JAMES POTTER SCORES!

James does a small victory lap around the side of the pitch, fist pumping into the air. They haven’t even won yet, but the Gryffindor stand is inconsolable, Sirius and Peter leading the crowd in a raucous chorus of We Will Rock You. Lily is infected by it, laughing and stomping along with the rest, only the glimpse of Sawyer panting and frustrated at the other end of the pitch makes her sober up.

James takes a pass by the stands and the crowd erupts in a roar ‘POTTER POTTER POTTER’. She doesn’t mean to join in, at least doesn’t consciously make the choice. Blame it on hive mentality.

The game continues, but this time there is a distinct energy shift in the Hufflepuff team. Sawyer is all offensive, making perilous moves to intercept the quaffle, barely scraping past as bludgers get aimed right for his chest.

He flies past the Gyffindor stands where Lily and all the rest are a deafening roar of team spirit, still chanting James’ name. He turns his head just enough for Lily to catch it, the twisted grimace of anger. It stops her cold.

*****

James couldn’t deny it, he felt good. It wasn’t even because they were winning, already climbing their score to the point where catching the snitch would turn into a formality. No, the real victory was the fleeting image of Lily, mouth wide open in jubilant revelry, chanting his name.

If he owned a pensive, it would be the first memory he would guard—it shouldn’t have mattered so much with the whole crowd cheering as well, but something about her flushed face, her stomping feet, her bursting voice—they could lose and he would be all the better for it.

The game kicks off again and James immediately swerves towards Hufflepuff chaser Brenda Alburn, eyes trying to juggle between following the quaffle and peeking back at the stands where Lily still watches. A sudden rush pulls beside him and Sawyer nearly clips his broom, turning around to give him a dark scowl.

It was odd for Sawyer who was usually a pretty level headed bloke. James ignores it, pushing forward towards the quaffle which is now meters ahead of him. He picks up speed, getting closer to intercept when he feels something coming in close.

He had no reason to double back but Sawyer is beside him again. As swift as flicking a wrist, he reaches out and yanks at James’ broom, sending it into a tailspin.

James feels a sickly upheaval in his stomach as he free falls, the world a blur of spinning color. Screams ring out from every corner of the pitch and he swears he can pinpoint one amongst the crowd—

It’s a gamble, a stupid, completely mental choice but he pushes himself off the broom, the world suddenly gaining clarity as the spinning ends. He has a zero second window to grab hold of his broom handle before it spins out of reach and he kicks his leg up, clipping on with his shin and the new pressure halts the broom's spiral.

The roar is deafening, mixing screams of amazement with cries of foul play, but it doesn’t matter: Gryffindor caught the snitch.

He feels nauseous, body heavy and begging to be horizontal, but he pulls himself right side up on his broom, already seeing the students from the Gryffindor stands leaking down onto the field, awaiting his descent.

Maybe it was the lingering vertigo, but it all happens too quick to digest in the moment. He feels his feet touch the soft earth. A roar of a crowd rushes around him, a blaze of red and gold like wildfire in an instant. She is there, but walking towards him or towards Sawyer he isn’t sure. His body moves on its own, quickening his pace before he can even stop to think about the consequences. A smile on her face, a smile like all the ones he’s savored from her since they had become mates.

He doesn’t need to make a decision, it is already made. He can blame it on the near death experience later. He picks up Lily and swings her in his arms.

It lasts only seconds. The shock in her eyes, the warm feel of her arms wrapping around his neck, holding on as he bears all her weight. She makes a little shriek as her feet lift off the ground and momentum spins them together. As far as he is concerned, it is the greatest sound she has ever made.

But the air has to rush back into the world eventually. The minute she touches back down, her brow furrows, eyes darting towards the other side of the pitch where Sawyer stands. The bloke she’s dating stands.

“I-I’ve got to go..I’m glad you're alright.”

He wants to address the fear that he can hear stuck in her voice, but she pulls her arms away, fingers sliding on his shoulders as she goes.

******

“Godric, Lily is so lucky. What I’d do to have the two fittest boys in school making a scene over me like that—“

“But who can blame him? Did you see how she screamed when Potter took the nose dive? She looked about ready to throw herself from the stands.”

Its hard to ignore because it’s all everyone wants to talk about. He wants to be the better person (“A game is a game—it was an honest accident—Sawyers a good bloke.”) but even his words hang hollow in the air because he knew the look on Sawyer's face too well—a look of pure jealousy.

“If it wasn’t his last year, I’d lobby to ban him—break his broom and watch as he cries..” Sirius slurs out, putting an arm around James’ shoulders.

“But hey, silver lining! Our lovely Evans was in rare form by your little tumble. I swear there were tears in her eyes.”

“Not helping Sirius.”

He wishes it would help though, because hearing Lily invested in his well being feels like a bigger win than the cup. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that she is not there—

A hush rolls over the crowd as the portrait hole swings open. Lily walks in with deliberate steps. She’s not an idiot, she knows they have all been talking about her. Not making eye contact she beelines her way to the drink table, ignoring as whispers follow her through the room.

He can tell she’s been crying—not in the way Sirius described but really crying. On one hand he wants to console her, apologize for whatever he has stirred up in Sawyer, but on the other everyone is watching. Him approaching her would just cause more uproar.

She pours herself a drink and takes a long swig before refilling it again. Turning from the table she doesn’t even wait to acknowledge anyone, just walks with her shoulders back up the steps to the dorm.

“You need to talk to her.” Remus says beside him like a voice of reason.

“Get your cloak and go up there—just for fuckssake make sure no one bloody sees you.”

Filling a new drink, he mounts the steps and finds the door slightly ajar. He’s never seen the inside of the girl’s dorm before but it’s much more put together than the boys’, records and books neatly stacked around well made four-poster beds. The record player garbles out some faintly familiar tune as Lily reclines with her eyes closed, drink still clutched in hand.

“Alright, Evans?”

She doesn’t open her eyes, but he knows she’s awake. He opens the door a bit farther but doesn’t dare to enter without permission.

“ I thought you might want a refill.” He half heartedly holds out the drink and she cracks an eye open.

“Ok Potter, price of entry granted.”

He takes a few hesitant steps in, standing in the middle of the circular space. He can’t help but feel like he’s crossing a barrier, like some infectious disease in a host body.

“Look, I just wanted to apologize,” he murmurs, unsure of how to proceed. Lily straightens up, eyes now open with suprise.

“For what?”

“I don’t know—“ he meanders, “I guess I just can’t help feeling like I didn’t something. Like this is my fault.”

“James, you could have died. Or have been easily incapacitated for the unforeseeable future. Sawyer had no right—.”

“It could’ve been an honest—“

“No, James. It wasn’t—and besides he told me.”

James feels his stomach drop in a way reminiscent of his earlier fall. “Oh.”

Lily sits up and swings her legs to hang over the side of the bed.

“I owe you an apology. It’s my fault anyhow.”

“I’m not following.”

Her eyes go suddenly glassy, the bloodshot streaks becoming more prominent as tears threaten to spill over again.

“Please don’t make me say it,” she bites out.

“Evans, I’m being serious I don’t—“

“I fancy you, ok! I fancy you and—Sawyer could tell. Unlike us he’s not a complete fool.”

She starts to say how this doesn’t excuse his behavior or that what happened at the game was warranted but James doesn’t hear it. His heartbeat is defeating, his whole body becoming red and feverish. The whole world starts to spin again but her, the clear stable focal point to everything.

He crosses the few steps it takes to be next to her and she stands up with a start, confused by his sudden energy.

“Does Sawyer—“ he lets it teeters off, knowing his question is clear.

“Let’s just say, Sawyer isn’t going to make the cut.” She snorts bitterly, eyes looking at her feet. “I should have ended it ages ago honestly.”

Maybe it’s because his body is still in shock from it all, but he lets his instincts take over, all propriety lost.

“Will you let me hug you? I would really like to hug you.”

She gives a tearful laugh and opens her arms in weak approval. He doesn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist and pulling her in. This close she smells like roses and the salt of her tears.

“I’m glad you’re ok James.” Hesitant, she reaches her arms up to clasp around his shoulders, before pulling herself closer, burying her face into his Jersey.

“Who me?” He exclaims in mock shock. “Hell, I’ve never been better.”

[vulpixisananimal]

[A:4 C:66.2] [Alex] |Jasmine|

“Ploughman Ploughman, Plough me a field. Turn me an acre of laaaaand!” |Thunk goes the shovel and thwup goes the dirt.| “Ploughman Ploughman, Harrow the ground. Drill in the seed and roll it down.”

|Dead garden? Nuh uh!! This garden wasn’t dead n’till you said so!!! You thunk your shovel into the ground and thwup it to the side.| “For the year will turn And the spring come round And the seeeeeed wiiiiiiill grooooooow!”

“What’re you doing?” |You turn around, Bonbon was there! Yay!|

“Hi Bonbon!!” |You smile big and wide and wave at them excitedly.| “‘M working on the garden!!”

“Don’t call me Bonbon!” |They pouted and crossed their arms.| “Only Nille ‘n Bell ‘n stuff get to call me that.”

“Okay!” |You say, undeterred.| “Wanna dig in the dirt?”

|Bonnie looked at you confused, then squinted.| “Maybe. What’s in it for me?”

“Worms!!!” |You say way too excitedly. You drop your shovel and go to your bucket of gardening tools and dig around| “Wanna see me summon a buncha worms at once?!?”

“. . . Why would I want worms?” |Bonnie walks next to you.|

“Worm pie!”

“. . . Worm pie?”

“Worm pie!!!!”

|You get out two sticks, one of them was longer and ribbed.| “Look at! This!!” |You stick the stick deep in the ground, then start rubbing it up and down with the other stick.|

“. . . . . . .”

“. . . . . You look weird-”

“Shh! Shh!!” |You keep it up, and eventually, like magic, worms started poking up from the ground.|

“WOOOOOOOORMS!!!!”

“WOAH!! WORMS!!!”

“What’s this about worms?” |You look over at the house and Nille was coming out the front.| “Woah. That’s a lotta worms.”

“I know right!!!” |You said with sparkles in your eyes.| “It’s so cool!!!”

“Why’d you want so many crabbing worms anyway.” |Bonnie mumbled.|

“Cause all those batty little worms are the beeeest thing for a garden!” |You giggled happily and picked up a few of the worms and spread them across the garden box you were planting in.|

“Huh.” |Nille rubbed her chin, then put a hand on her hip.| “. . . So! What’s your name?”

|You sink down into your shoulders and look down awkwardly.| “Uhm. . . ‘S Jasmine.”

“Well, Jas, mind if I call you Jas? How do ya like the garden box? I saw the old one was broken so I put together a new one for ya.”

“THAT WAS YOU???” |You exclaim, head snapping up, flapping your hands excitedly.| “Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!! It felt really sturdy and nice and mmmmmm!!!” 

“Woah careful, I think if I get you any more excited you’ll explode.” |Nille patted you on the back.| 

“NO!!!!” 

“Yep!” |Nille laughed.| “Ba-boom! And there goes Jazzy!”

“NOOOOOOO!!!!!”

“. . Snrk-gHAHAAHHAAHA!!!” |Bonnie cracked up into a laugh and punched Nille.| “CRABFACE!! You can’t explode like that!!!”

“Language.” |Nille retorted.| “And you totally can-”

“BATFACE!!!”

“Hey!! Language!”

“CRABFACE!!”

“BATFACE!!!”

“CRABFACE!!!!”

“BATFACE!!!!”

“Oh Change you’ve multiplied.” |Nille rubs her temples, but was smiling.| “. . Hey wait, why bats?”

“OH!!!” |You scrunch your face up, thinking.| “. . . Its, uhm, uhm, it’s ‘cause bats eat bugs!! And eat a lotta moths! And moths are important ‘cause of, uhm, uhm. . .”

“‘Cause moths are dreamy’s?” |Bonnie suggests.| 

“YEAH!!! Moths are Dreaming and Shining ones messengers!!” |You nod excitedly.| “Start living life asa caterpillar, go into a pupa so you’re not anything, then c’mout asa moth to send messages! ‘N then die, sending messages back to Shining and Dreaming, and then come back!”

“Woooooah!” |Bonnie looked invested.| “Is that why moths are so dumb?”

“Bonbon!!” 

“WHAT?!? IT’S A FAIR QUESTION!!!”

“Mhm mhm mhm!!” |You stomp back over to the garden as you talk.| “Lotta moths uhm, get attracted to light!! ‘Cause that’s the fastest way ‘t get back!”

“. . . Oh.” |Bonnie's expression drops. They look away, sad.| “So like ‘Frin.”

“O-oh-” |Nille bites her lip, and kneels down next to Bonnie.|

|There’s an awkward silence for a few seconds. Bonnie crossed their arms and looked away, Nille stood by them, you stood at the garden, awkwardly. You didn’t want to make Bonbon feel bad, you like Bonbon! You like them a lot! Uhm, what do you do when you’re sad. . ?|

“. . . Wanna plant some tubers with me?” |You ask, smiling softly.|

|Bonnie glances at you, then away, pauses, takes a deep breath, and nods.| “Okay.”

|You beamed. Happily digging out a spare set of gloves and trowel for Bonnie as they stomped over and kneeled down. Nille ducked inside for a moment while you and Bonnie got to work.|

|Bonnie stabbed the dirt.| “. . . You can keep singing that song. Or, whatever it was.”

“Huh? Okay!” |You nod, and join in on the stabbing.| “‘S a song about a miller!”

|You smiled big and wide as you cleared away the last of the weeds and dead plants. Nille came back out with two big covered mugs of cocoa for the two of you.|

“Shine the sun and rain the rain, Fall the shivery snooow!! Frost and hail and wind again. As the yeeeear wiiiiiill goooo!!!”

|You feel very happy!|

[glitziinova]

General Toon headcanons

I suddenly remembered that I made these

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

🥧Baby and child toons are scared of skelecogs. They see one and immediately start busting out crying

🥧 Toons born/raised in certain playgrounds have perks

🐾Toontown Central - Jack of trades, better at making friends and building relationships with others

🐾Barnacle Boatyard - Better swimmers and fishers

🐾Ye Olde Toontowne - Witches or other magic-related skills; like alchemy. Also, they prefer to make things by hand, very handy toons

🐾Daffodil Gardens - Gardeners, green thumbs, but also bug hunters and collectors

🐾Mezzo Melodyland - Musically inclined toons, they have sharper ears than most toons. Also artists like painters, sculpture, tailors misc

🐾The Brrrgh - Have better resistance to the cold. Has thicker fur.

🐾Acorn Acres - Certified tree climbers and foragers. Tree climbing-related activities are very common

🐾 Drowsy Dreamland - Due to the playground being what it is, they all benefit from the perks of having better sleep and often do have better sleep than the other toons from the other playgrounds (Unless you’re that one toon from that Graham task)

🥧Baby toon fur/ feathers/scales are much more lighter when very young (like infant to toddler), they reach their true colors around early childhood

🐾 Mother egg layers (like ducks, other birds, and gators) lay eggs (woah that's crazy), and also assuming that they take the same time as humans, they will hold the egg for about 9 months, lay it, and then take care of the egg for about a few days until it hatches.

🐾 Brand new baby toons (I have no idea what to call it, idk the actual name) look like their newborn for their species, usually small, blind/deaf, bald, pink crying jellybeans with limbs. In around the couple of weeks or a month mark, they actually look like proper toon babies. Yes, the toon parents will take many pictures when their baby starts to explode in fur/feathers because they look hilarious.

🥧Toons of different species can have a child together, the child will mainly be the species of their mother with some features of their father (think of the hybrids from Beastars)

🐾EX: Duck (mother) and Alligator (father): The child would appear mostly duck with sharp teeth, spines, claws, and some scales on their body

🥧Speaking “proper” words is a learned behavior, baby toons often speak in their natural animal noises. “Proper” words are like a second language for toons, some toons will slip and talk in their “natural” language. Toons can understand each other animal noises even if they’re different species. (The Cogs can’t understand their natural animal language)

🥧Predator toons (I have no idea what to call them in this context) like cats, dogs, bears, alligators, hybrids, etc, have retractable claws. Most keep their claws short to keep in their gloves. More fashion-forward toons who don’t fight cogs tend to let their claws grow and keep them decorated (Like Malimew Barbie and Begothz)

🥧Cat toons can be scruffed and it’s really embarrassing for them. Most Cat toons often wear something on their neck, usually to make it harder for them to be scruffed, sometimes it's for fashion or both.

🥧Toons can temporarily change art styles. Usually for comic effect, imagine you said something stupid and the toon just looks at you like 👁️_👁️ -_- 👁️_👁️

[modelbus]

ghost, western, mayor

You’re my first Ghost request anon… I love you <3 I can’t see him as a mayor so he’s a cowboy! ‼️ 1000 followers event ‼️

Pairing: Simon “Ghost” Riley x Gn!Reader

Western AU - Mayor

Sunrises were always your favorite. Most people tended to rise with the sun and their animals to get to work, but you liked to rise before that. Watching the sun come up, the town kick into motion, was like magic blossoming before your eyes.

Nobody was in the streets when you walked them, slipping out your window so your father wouldn’t catch you. The bars all closed up, shops locked tight to protect against bandits and thieves. Even the horses are quiet, dogs snoozing on porches. And because it’s so early, bugs are silent too.

It’s perfect. Away from prying eyes, because being the mayor’s kid meant forced respect and stiff conversations. Your father’s best friend being the sheriff certainly didn’t help you either. You’re practically forced to be the golden child, but not in these early hours. Not with nobody around.

Ambling down the dusty path, you hum to yourself while lost in your head. Some tune you heard a guy with a guitar strumming, silently wondering what it’ll take you to convince your father to get you one.

You blame that for the way you nearly get trampled by a horse, not hearing the hooves until they’re nearly on top of you.

”Fuck!” You exclaim, at the exact same time a deeper voice speaks.

“Woah!”

Reeling back, you crane your neck to stare up at the rider. Cowboy hat low on his head and a bandana over his mouth, you can barely see even a sliver of the bridge of his nose. But you can see his build. Broad shoulders, thick thighs, veiny hands. Appealing.

His horse whinnies, backing up and shaking its head. Only then does your gaze fall to the black horse, which clearly seems displeased. At you? Maybe, considering you were in its way.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” The cowboy drawls, and you think he’s talking to the horse until he adds on, “I’m tryin’ to get this one used to goin’ through towns. Haven’t exactly started people training yet.”

You look back at the horse, and yeah, that makes sense. The horse has that wild look to it, like it’s more used to open fields and cattle than civilization. Good for it, honestly. Probably a more enjoyable life.

“It’s alright.” You say after realizing you hadn’t responded. “It’s my fault for walking in the middle of your path, truly.”

Cowboy shakes his head. “It ain’t. Woulda moved for you, but I didn’t even see your small self.”

Small? Small? Was that some type of insult, because he was so huge himself? You straighten, shoulders shoving back automatically, ready to open your mouth and tell him off for the insult, but he laughs and all words die.

That laugh might be the best thing you’ve ever heard.

“Wasn’t an insult, sweetheart. Don’t get all feisty on me just yet, though I ain’t got a doubt you can get damn feisty.” He informs you smoothly, and you suddenly realize he’s flirting with you.

The last time you were flirted with, it was as a teen. A seedy boy with red hair and a perpetual sunburn, a one week thing that ended as soon as your father found out. He tended to kill off most of your dating prospects with a glare and his gun. Figuratively. His mayor title did it just as well.

But this man… you can’t help but smile at him.

“What’s your name?” You ask, watching as his horse—Riley, was it?—starts to gain courage to nudge your arm. Shame you don’t keep any horse treats on you.

“Friends call me Ghost.”

“Scary nickname.” You can’t help but comment. “Why Ghost?”

“I’m a scary man, baby.” His bandana crinkles, maybe in a smile. You smile back. He doesn’t seem so scary to you. The idea of his horse trampling you, sure. Him?

All he seems is alluring. Maybe that’s his danger.

Light starts to seep into the sky, making you glance around. People should start stirring soon, and the last thing you need is someone seeing you and talking to your father. And yet you can’t make yourself move.

“Somewhere to be?” He guesses. “Nice talkin’ to ya, sweetheart.”

“Wait!” You exclaim, probably startling the hell out of the horse and him. Oops. “I… do you live around here?”

His head tilts down, as if studying you. You can’t see his eyes because of the shadow of his cowboy hat, but you can feel them on you. Suddenly, you’re a bit embarrassed of the ragtag clothes you wear when sneaking out.

“Ranch, not too far.” Ghost confirms slowly.

You run a hand through your hair, tugging at the ends nervously. Now or never, right? “Could I visit you sometime?” Swallow. “I ruined your sunrise, after all.”

“Tomorrow mornin’.” He nods. “If you’re free, that is.”

“I am.” You’re quick to confirm. Perhaps too quick, judging by his quiet laugh.

“I’ll come get you.” Ghost pauses. “With a less temperamental horse.”

“I have a feeling all your horses are temperamental.” You tease. He snorts.

“Maybe, sweetheart.” He reaches down, hand on the saddle for balance, and tucks a piece of your hair into place for you. “For the record? This is the best sunrise I’ve had.”

Then he’s jerking the reigns, squeezing his heels into the horse and leaving you behind with the phantom feeling of his fingers brushing your skin.

Your father would hate this is he knew. The mayor’s kid should be with someone of status in his eyes, someone who owned shops and had coin.

But you were going to get yourself a cowboy.

[shaotie]

Hachi Machi! - Summary

"Have no fear, Leon's got it! I can get us there with my ultra reliable portals!"

"Nonono!" Leonardo's family spat out, frantically waving their hands back and forth at their blue-clad brother, who was ignoring them to point his mystic energy channeling odachi straight up to spin the blade around in the air, saying the unusual incantation: "Hachi Machi!" uttering those words like they were some kind of magic spell that would summon an 'ultra reliable portal' in the air above his head.

But - as was the norm for him - his portal didn't want to cooperate and instead of opening up above the tip of his odachi blade, one opened directly below his feet.

"Woah!" he cried out as he instantly fell through, losing his grip on the sword in the process.

The second his mystic odachi was out of his hand the portal snapped shut and it loudly clattered to the floor where their brother once was.

"Ohmigosh he went to Hueso's without us!"

"No, Miguel, he did not go to Run of the Mill," Donnie factually corrected as he clicked at his wrist tech to bring up Leonard's location on the map. "He portalled himself tooo..."

Dee raised his head to look at his younger brother, blandly commenting: "Well, Leo won't be joining us for pizza. Ready to go?"

-or-

Leo's 'ultra reliable' portal spits him out somewhere in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. But that's ok, Leon's got it! After all nothing bad could possibly happen from being dropped in the heart of a bug-infested jungle full of snakes, piranhas, and other dangerous predators.

Right?

[crimsonxcloverr]

omgomg you should do like what dale be life if its your birthday (totally not cus its my birthday today or anything, asking for a friend)✨💖✨

woah! love that actually! also happy bday little angel 🖤

this man would throw a party for you as if the entire state of oregon would show.

dale would definitely lie to you, saying he has a gig or something but is actually going out to grab decorations and a couple of gifts for you. you’re his little shadow, he’s gotta sneak out somehow?? anyways, majority of the gifts would be homemade though— a miniature doll of yourself no black magic involved!, a polaroid collage of you guys, and possibly gift you some of his old jewelry he no longer wears. gifts worth keeping. idk, he could gift me a pet rock with googly eyes and i’d cherish it other gifts could be records of your favorite bands/artists or if you have a certain hobby, he’d buy supplies for you. also dale would soooo do this months in advance just so everything is organized and to make sure you do have an amazing day. stash it somewhere you could never find it. and when i say months in advance, dramatically five months at least.

why?

because he’s dale ferdinand kobble.

he’d bug ruth to help him decorate while you’re asleep, the two of them whisper-hollering at each other cause dale wants everything done right, but ruth is exhausted and wants sleep. they’d sprinkle confetti on the basement floor and wrap some red and black streamers around the beams of the basement’s ceiling. tape balloons to the wall and a massive ‘happy birthday’ banner on his massive media shelf. this dude would wake you up exactly at midnight and celebrate early cause he’s so excited to party. he’d wake you up, put a party hat on you so him and ruth don’t look silly, but ends up taking his off cause “it’ll mess up his hair”.

after all that work ruth put in to help dale, he’d shoo her away cause he wants you all to himself. he’d play his guitar for you, as many times as you’d want him to, dance around the basement with you to music you enjoy as long as you both listen to T. Rex after and steal some cash from ruth to order a pizza and get beers. sadly you wouldn’t get your gifts or your cake until the exact time you entered the world, even if you begged on your hands and knees, he’d decline. but when the exact time does come, you bet your ass dale’s pulling out the old camcorder.

while you open your perfectly wrapped gifts, he’d talk to you kinda child-like… “oooo what did you get, little angel?” or “show the camera!” like the creep he is, but we love it. you’re lying if you say/think otherwise. even when you blow your candles out, he’d clap and cheer. also, ruth will offer you extra earplugs she has lying around, which you’ll probably think is gross, but it’s better than listening to dale sing happy birthday to you for 24 minutes.

the entire day would be about you and only you, dale distracting himself the best he could to ignore the “voices” so he can make sure your day was perfect.

[cainluvr69]

"Dancing this Short Summer Night Away with You" Cain SSR Card Story - Visiting the Orchestrion ~ Respite for Cain

✦✧☾✧✦

Here's something that happened on a day where the birds outside were singing especially cheerily.

Akira: (It's almost Cain's birthday. I wonder if he'd like to go to the Orchestrion of Respite with me to celebrate.)

I held the magic item that Rustica had given me--the Orchestrion of Respite--and drew my hand across the lid. It looked like a music box from back home, but if you held it while making a wish for a certain someone to be truly at peace, it would transport both oneself and the wizard in question to a little pocket dimension designed to do exactly that.

Akira: (But if I'm going to do that, I need to make sure I have a solid image of who he is. It's hard to sum him up in just a word, though…mm…)

Owen: Well hello there, Master Sage. Looks like you've got something good there.

Akira: Oh, Owe--waugh! You're all dirty and beat up! Did you get in a fight again…?

Owen: That has nothing to do with you.

Akira: Wah?!

Owen snatched the Orchestrion from my hands and promptly lifted himself up into the air, just out of reach no matter how desperately I tried.

Akira: Um, Owen…!

Owen: If you want me to give this back to you, then I need you to do something for me.

Akira: …Like what?

Owen: This can trap someone inside it, right? So I'm going to put Cerberus and wolves and poisonous insects in it, and you are going to go get Mithra for me. Isn't the idea of Mithra getting stung by bugs over and over in a place he can't escape from just delectable?

Akira: Are you mad at him right now…? Wait, no, that's not the point. This is supposed to be for letting everyone rest and recover…

Owen: Oh, is that right. Hey, out of nails and eyes and eardrums, which do you like best?

*Akira: Eek…!!

Cain: --Hey, Owen! What are you doing to the Sage?

Akira: Cain!

Cain ran out of the main building and stepped directly between me and Owen. Owen narrowed his eyes, clearly irritated, and put his fingers on the clasp that kept his trunk locked shut.

Owen: Don't interrupt. Do you want me to ki--

Cain: Yeah, yeah, I don't want to die, et cetera. Instead of worrying about that, check this out: I got crepes.

Akira: (Hello?!?! Owen's on the verge of releasing Cerberus and that's what Cain has to say about it?!)

Owen: … Crepes?

Cain: Yep, Nero just finished making them. I came out here to ask the Sage if they wanted any, but I guess you can come too, Owen.

Owen: …Are they filled with sweet viscera?

Cain: Viscera… Well, there's no custard cream, but there is whipped cream, fresh fruit, chocolate cream, and that stuff made by boiling apples.

Owen: It's called compote. …Hmph, well, I guess I don't need this after all.

Akira: Huh… Eep! Hey, don't throw it, what if I couldn't catch it and it fell…

Owen: Bye-bye.

Cain: Woah! He vanished… Good grief, he really just does whatever he wants, huh.

Cain shrugged. He looked a little frustrated, but he was still acting casual about it all. The two of them had a lot of history together, but the fact that things hadn't turned fatal was all thanks to Cain's natural personality.

Akira: (It's sort of like he's saying that he wants them to start over fresh. Even though surely there's parts of that history that stick with him, he's just accepted it and kept moving forward…)

Cain: Let's go eat, too. If we don't hurry, he's going to eat all the sweet stuff before we can have any.

Akira: Ah, okay! Yes!

I followed after him, admiration for his way of life warm in my heart.

✦✧☾✧✦

A few days later…

Akira: (I'm getting hungry. I wonder if there's any snacks in the kitchen…hmm? I can smell something tasty from outside…)

Cain: Oh, Master Sage. I haven't seen you since this morning.

Akira: Oh, Cain! Good afternoon.

Cain walked into the hall with a paper bag in his arms, which was perfuming the air with the smell of butter and sugar.

Akira: Did you go shopping?

Cain: Yeah, I had some stuff to do near the marketplace, so I got some financiers to bring back. Want one?

Akira: Yay, thank you!

Cain: Let's go find Riquet and eat with him. He's usually…in the common room with Mitile around this time of day. Hold on, I'll go get them. …Wait, that's right. I still need to do something about the new one…

Akira: New one what?

Cain: Right, so, I actually ended up buying so much that the shopkeep gave me one of a brand-new flavor as a little bonus. But there's exactly one of them, so I'm kinda worried about people arguing about who gets to eat it. Arguing over snacks would suck.

Akira: Yeah, I get it. Well, since you were the one who bought them, I think you should--

But right as I started to say that, my stomach decided to make its irritation with its emptiness known and cut me off with a very embarrassing growl.

Akira: (I… I'm so embarrassed!! That was as loud as Oz's thunderstorms…!)

Cain: Ahaha! Sounds like you're feeling lively.

Akira: I--I'm so sorry!

Cain: What are you apologizing for? Here, say ahh.

Akira: Huh? Ahh…mmph!

I just opened my mouth without really thinking about it, and Cain pulled a financier out of the bag and popped it into my mouth. I snapped my mouth shut in surprise, biting into the sweet treat, and taste of butter filled my mouth.

Akira: Munch munch… That was so good!

Cain: Right? That was the new one. It was made with seasonal fruits. Pretty decadent, huh?

Akira: Huh?! I can't believe you gave me something so valuable just because my belly rumbled…

Cain: You don't need to get all worked up about it. If anything, it's good that I got to give it to you before anyone else got one. Now no one's gonna argue over who gets to have it. Everyone else will have the chance to go out and get one of their own, anyways. …Oh, Akira, hold on a second.

Cain brought his hand up to my cheek, an airy, careless gesture. The look of care in his eyes as he drew near, the feeling of the pad of his thumb brushing over my lips… It was hard to describe how they made me feel.

Cain: Haha. You had some crumbs on your mouth.

Akira: I…I'm sorry. Thank you.

Cain: What's your face getting all red for? Embarrassed?

Cain smiled his ever-charming smile. I felt the warmth of the summer sun blooming in my chest.

Akira: (Cain's kind, carefree nature is something I've been relying on since the very first day I arrived here.) (Ah… Yes, that's it.) Um, Cain, your birthday's coming up soon, right?

Cain: Oh, yeah. Something up?

Akira: The thing is, I…wanted to take you to the Orchestrion of Respite as a thank-you for everything you do. Would that be okay?

Cain: Of course, I'd be happy to go! Arthur told me about it a while back and I've been kinda interested ever since. I'll be looking forward to it, Master Sage.

Akira: …! Of course!

And I meant it with all my heart. I smiled and walked with an extra spring in my step--that day couldn't come soon enough.

✦✧☾✧✦

And finally, it was Cain's birthday.

Akira: Are you ready?

Cain: Yep.

Cain nodded, clad in the outfit that Chloe had made especially for today. It made him look a little more classy…a little more formal than usual.

Akira: (Alright…) (I wish for Cain, so compassionate as to let bygones be bygones, so kind as to shine light into the hearts of others, to feel the same peace he grants to others.)

I squeezed my eyes shut and directed all the emotions in my heart into the music box in my hands. And then, the lid silently opened… On the stage within, a little doll that looked just like Cain began to dance, pirouetting in place. It took only moments before I could hear the sound of music, at first gentle, like a far off wave lapping against the metaphorical shore we stood upon-- And then, a dazzling light embraced us.

✦✧☾✧✦

Cain: So this is the Orchestrion of Respite… All the greenery smells great. This is a nice place.

The light dimmed, and we found ourselves in a wondrous location. Transparent instruments, as though they were soap bubbles or made of glass, floated jubilantly through the air as sunlight filtered through the leaves above, gently illuminating the area.

Cain: What song is this? Obviously I can't see them, but is there an orchestra here, too?

Akira: Nope! It's all part of the magic, or so I was told. It's set up so that the person invited inside has a perfectly fitting song playing for them!

Cain: I see. Well, just standing here listening to it is making me want to gallivanting around in armor, so I'd say I like it. It's a good song.

Akira: I'm so happy to hear that. Alright, now come this way.

His smile had put a spring in my step, so I got there before he did. It didn't take long for him to join me at the edge of a small plaza that had low tables around the edges.

Cain: Freshly fried bacon, alcohol, juice… Were you the one who came up with all this?

Akira: Yes. I figured that knowing you, you'd want this to be a place where you could dance, so…here's a wide-open space to dance in, and snacks and stuff for when you want to rest.

Cain: Haha. You know me so well. Well then, let me take you up on that. Shall we dance, Akira?

Akira: Yes!

I nodded eagerly, and with one hand Cain took one of mine, and the other he placed on the small of my back. His mismatched eyes sparkled with hidden mischief.

Akira: Wahh…!

Cain: My fair Akira. Have you had the chance to dance a waltz before?

Akira: U--umm, I wouldn't say I'm good at it, but I know the basic steps, at least…

Cain: I couldn't ask for more. We're all alone here--let's dance however we want together. Now, let us take to the floor.

Keeping his hand on my back, Cain led me out into the clearing--a knight escorting his partner. At first it felt like we were just walking together, but soon enough I realized that I'd completely fallen in step with Cain. We were dancing together. I let myself get lost in his lead, laughing happily as we danced and twirled. All of my anxiety about if I could dance well had evaporated.

Akira: Happy birthday, Cain. And also, thank you for everything. You've been looking after me ever since the day I first arrived in this world.

Cain: Hey now, I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for keeping all of us together. I feel like if the new Sage was anyone but you, the twenty-two of us wouldn't all be living together in the manor the way we are now. Even if we did still end up living together, if it was because we were ordered to, or because someone was forcing us…we definitely wouldn't have the life together that we have now.

Akira: Th-that's giving me too much credit…

Or so I said, but Cain looked directly into my eyes.

Cain: It's because you're you, Akira. It's because of your kindness, your sincerity, and your fair and impartial judgment that all of us are together the way we are now. Certainly, unpleasant things have happened, and there have been times when I've just had to grin and bear it. But we've been able to talk things out, argue constructively, and the next day we all still want to stay here, together. You're an amazing person.

Akira: …I…

I didn't even know what to say. I just bashfully looked down at the stones under our feet. The weight of these words, coming from the person who had always been at my side…was so gentle that I wanted to cry. Today was his birthday, but I was the one who was being celebrated.

Cain: Getting to have you all to myself today has made this the best birthday I've ever had. Thank you for giving me such a luxury.

Akira: …I need to thank you too, for letting me spend today with you when everyone else loves you, too.

My chest burned with the heat of how grateful I was to have this irreplaceable moment with him--so I said the magic words one more time.

Akira: Happy birthday, Cain.

Training Episode: Until the Day I Pull the Cork

Akira: Good morning, Cain!

Cain: Oh, Master Sage. Good morning. Thanks for yesterday. Our party in the Orchestrion was tons of fun.

Akira: Oh no, thank you! It was your birthday, but I ended up feeling like I was being celebrated right alongside you. Right, speaking of, after the party everyone else from Central Country gave you a present, right?

Cain: Yeah, a bottle of liquor I really like. Apparently Oz remembered me saying how much I liked it every time I had the chance to drink it in Shylock's bar. Arthur was the one who actually acquired it, and Riquet made some prayers over it.

Akira: It's a present that has all their feelings wrapped up in it! The flavor must be extra special now.

Cain: Well actually, I haven't drank it yet. I know I'd just down the whole thing in one go, so I'm exercising my self-control instead.

Akira: Ahaha, I get you. I think keeping good care of it until you feel like the time is right is good, too.

Cain: Oh, I know. Maybe I'll put it up on display in my room with my memories of yesterday… Maybe I'll wait to open it 'til Riquet's had his first taste of alcohol.

Akira: Oh…! That sounds like a lovely idea!

Cain: Right? We could turn it into a whole thing and have an uncorking party with everyone under a big banner or something!

Akira: In that case, I'll have to make some extra special snacks for the occasion. If you don't mind me joining in, of course!

Cain: Of course you can! Ahaha, even though it's gonna be a long wait from now 'til then!

[vgbugs]

Apollyon - Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail

Woah! They brought back my favourite FFIX monster! Once again, it's a big mantis creature that looks like a mech built out of bug parts.

It is extremely voracious, killing and devouring other creatures indiscriminately when you encounter it, even feasting on other animals during combat in order to gain new adaptations. It can move faster than the eye can see and can use potent wind and lightning magic, but lacks the viral status ability from its original appearance.

Amazing creature, one of my all-time favourites for sure. I was so excited to see it dart away in a dungeon before appearing as its final boss. It really made my day.

[colonelpancakes]

Watching the dragon prince season six episode four: The Starscraper. Under the cut as usual.

I love Callum but how is he not frozen solid. Those fingerless gloves may be stylish but they are NOT insulating. Give my boy a coat.

Ooh that’s a beautiful building. It does look a tad like a Minecraft beacon but, it's a very pretty Minecraft beacon

Callum, why would you just stick your hand in? For all you know it’s like a forcefield or something and it zaps you!

Okay, my question is what is the benefit of an elevator partially activating once you’ve read half the runes? That seems like a real safety hazard, like that seems like a magic bug that needs to be fixed.

Woah, wait a minute! Interesting, some of the Celestial Elves seem to have wings that aren’t bird wings. That one in the back looks like they have bug wings. Can that happen with skywing elves? I guess bugs are also flying creatures that inhabit the sky so that would make sense. Hmm… I wonder if you can get Mage Wing bug wings…

Aww. The leaflynx kitten is adorable but also the music is giving major flashbacks to the baby deer at the end of season two. Claudia. Claudia don’t you dare.

Also, glowing butterfly motif!

CLAUDIA NO.

Okay good. It seemed like her hand was almost acting out of her control, I wonder if this much dark magic is starting to like, impact her reflexes? Like she instinctively reaches for things even if she doesn’t consciously want to? Or maybe she’s just snapping herself out of it who knows.

“Are you feeling alright?” “No, I’m not. I’m so messed up, Terry. I’ve been stuck, just staring, for over an hour now.” Oughhh Claudia, honey. Its good that she’s at least able to admit she’s not okay, that’s a good start.

Oh, hey is Claudia starting to lean away from dark magic? Or, like, recognize that it’s not a good thing? That’s interesting, previously she’s been very adamant that dark magic is a good and useful invention, but now she seems to be realizing the negative effects it’s had on her? …Claudia redemption arc? 👀

Skjslkajfdkl that is the exact same face that she made at Zym when she first met him. Some things never change.

I love the little pose Callum does when he’s introducing him and Rayla, he’s so dorky I love him.

Oh my God that escalated quickly. Not a friendly lot got it.

No! Gosh dangit pearl stop rolling around!

CLAUDIA REDEMPTION ARC?! Let’s GO! YES GIRL! SELF-IMPROVEMENT!

I find it interesting how after losing her dad, Claudia turns to Terry, her only present loved one, for instruction. She needs someone to tell her what to do, she needs someone to do things FOR. She went from following her dad's orders to working to save his life and now she doesn't have him to give her direction, she looks to Terry. When was the last time she did something for herself without someone's instructions?

“Only you can decide the path you’re going to walk. You won’t be alone. I’ll clear out the thorny brambles if I see them, I’ll hold your hand as we trudge through wet, mucky leaves. But… you have to choose the way.” I love Terry so much he’s such a sweetheart. He clearly loves Claudia so much and he’s willing to stick with her through everything and anything, whatever happens.

Claudia... Again, it's interesting, how, because she doesn’t know what she wants for herself, she defaults back to finding what her dad wants, thinking that if she looks at him, she’ll find some clarity and she’ll suddenly know what to do. She doesn't know what to do without her family because she's been doing things for them for her whole life.

Aww. Okay, the leaflynx kitten is adorable but. Was I the only one alarmed by how big it is? Something about the perspective in earlier shots made me think it was a lot smaller somehow.

Also, I love the butterfly landing in Claudia's hair in the previous shot.

No, I think Callum has a point here. They did just drop you from the top of the tower.

Oh, hey! Kosmo has vitiligo! That’s cool, yay representation!

Also, I haven’t mentioned it yet but I love Sneezle’s hanging out in Callum’s scarf it’s so cute.

I love Sol Regem’s design he’s so big and menacing. Plus the lighting in this location is so beautiful, the way it illuminates him from behind like a dusky backlight is *mwah*

Sooo, what are we thinking Sunseeds smell like? ‘Cause personally, I’m thinking freshly popped popcorn.

Karim, man, he literally told you that his sight was unrelated to his lack of hope. I don’t know how you are surprised by this.

Sksjlfakj poor Rayla.

Ohh wow. This episode is really going off with the gorgeous scenery and lighting. The Starlooms are so beautiful and I love the name "starweaver spider".

Oh! So that’s what the bug wings are! That’s really cool and such neat worldbuilding.

Hey! It's the intro galaxy!

Okay, that sounds cool in theory but I feel like in practice being Timeblind would kinda suck. I feel like that would just be like. Too much information at any given time it’d be hard to make connections with other people or like, enjoy day to day life.

Continued in reblogs as per usual!

[ano-cake]

AGOB 1

It is a beautiful day at Lubcor. More trees and flowers are blooming, birds are singing, people are outside, but a few others are adventuring.

“Hey, Happy Meal,” calls Pudding. “Check out this abandoned place I found!”

Happy Meal quickly runs until he sees the building, and stares at amazement.

“Woah, we've hit the jackpot! Who knows what could be in there! Wait, does that say..”

“Yup!” Pudding interjects. “The most confidential area, of confidential things.”

“How did you even FIND THIS?!” Happy Meal exclaims.

“By doing what we are right now. Come on, HM! We gotta see what's inside! Call 7-Ball!"

Pudding grabs Happy Meal by the wrist, and runs in.

————————————

“Nevermind, guess we're doing this by ourselves.” Pudding says.

“All this equipment is crazy. Guns, portal guns, ray guns, other guns, random things I don't know the name of, more guns-” Happy Meal gets interrupted.

“Alright, I get they like guns. Now just go do whatever you want around here or something.” Pudding says.

Happy Meal decides to go part from Pudding for a bit.

——

Happy Meal goes around, looking at stuff, and grabbing whatever he's curious about or finds interest in, like a baby with new toys.

He comes upon a random black orb, and starts toying with it. Like a baby.

Anyways, he decided to bring it home along with the rest of the stuff, and went back to where Pudding was.

But obviously, she wasn't there.

Happy Meal looked around the building, trying to find her, searching with maps displayed around the building.

And then he realized Pudding was just sneakily following them.

“Hey, you almost had me scared there!” yelled Happy Meal.

“Almost?” Pudding jokingly asked. “You were literally CRYING my name out!”

Pudding snickered a few times, while Happy Meal was slowly filled with rage.

And with it, he threw the ball to the ground, shattering it.

The ground was shaking. Their eyes flashed into a blinding white, and suddenly they were somewhere they've never been, along with a lot of other people they knew, and people they didn't.

Chatter started, then 2 figures revealed themselves.

“Hello!” the one shaped like a comma says. “I'm Comma, and this is my brother Period.”

“And you guys have just been chosen to be in a competition!” Comma says.

“Uhh, can we say no?” someone asks.

“No. Anyways, I went into your memories and made it so you know everyone here like 3 seconds ago.”

“..You what?” 7-Ball asks.

“ANYWAYS MAKE 2 TEAMS, BYE!-” Comma says, disappearing with their brother Period.

“..Okay, who is responsible for this?” Suncloud asks.

Pudding points their finger to Happy Meal.

“Happy Meal, what the HECK did you do?” exclaimed 7-Ball.

“Uhh-”

“Just forget it, we're trapped here, no thanks to you. Now just go make a team, I guess.”

“..okay,” responded Happy Meal.

——————

“Hey guys, how about we make a team with one of them being the ones from the same planet, and the other being the other world people!” Airhorn recommends.

“Okay.” a lot of people say.

(Team 1: Boxing Glove, Brick, Happy Meal, Airhorn, Snow Guy, Gold Ball, 7-Ball, Pudding, Housy, Band-Aid, Cucumber, Tissue Box, Cuppy, N, Picture Frame, Microwave, Milk Box, Baggy)

(Team 2: Skittle, Shyver, Suncloud, Crown, Galaxy A14, Slime Token, Moonstar, Top Hat, Toasty, Triangle, Trapezoid, Snowflake, Plus Sign, Windeclipse)

——————

“I see you've finally made your teams!” says Comma. “Now we can finally start the first challenge.”

“..Which is?” asked Windeclipse.

“To go inside this video game and get rid of the glitches.” Period added.

“How the HECK would we do that?” asked Skittle.

“With magic, silly!” Comma cheerfully responded.

“..Wha-” was a ton of people’s reactions, either inside their head or said out loud.

They got teleported in the game with blasters to get rid of the enemy.

_________

“Hey guys, there's some blasters here!” yelled Cuppy.

“Oh yeah, you're right! Guess it's for the bugs,” Happy Meal says.

“Hold on, how can we tell the difference between normal monsters and bugs?” N asks.

“I guess look for something that seems off?” Cuppy responds with.

“Hey guys, I think I spotted one right there!” Pudding says.

Happy Meal is the first one to pull out a zapper and get the bugs.

“Woo! That was surprisingly fun!” Happy Meal says. “Guess I needed to let a little rage out.”

“I thought you got enough rage out once you broke that thing.” Pudding says, looking unamused.

“Okay, I'm sorry! Now just shut up about it, please.” Happy Meal apologizes.

“Something tells me that's a lie.” Pudding says to herself.

“Guys, stop squawking and start searching! We don't know what happens when we lose!” Cucumber yells.

____________

“Guys, I think we already know what to do. Just search for the bugs, and blast them with the shooters Windeclipse found.” Suncloud orders.

“And I'll just chill over here.” Skittle says.

“Nope, we'll all be doing this together.” Suncloud says as he pills Skittle away from the chair that started existing about 12 seconds ago.

“Wait, when'd that chair get here?” Suncloud asks. “Nevermind, just start searching.”

They all split up in groups of various sizes.

“Hey Moonstar, why'd we have to bring the pixel human thing?” Suncloud questions.

“I dunno.” Moonstar answers.

They run around for a bit.

“Hey, Windeclipse, See anything?” Suncloud asks.

“Uhh, I think I see something. Right there.” Windeclipse points to a glitchy looking area.

“Let’s try these things!” SoundCloud points the blaster to the glitches area, and shoots.

Nothing happens.

“Isn't it supposed to be gone..?” Windeclipse asks.

“I thin-?” Suncloud says, before being cut off.

The glitch grew bigger.

[First] ◉ [Next] ◉ [Previous]

oh well hope you like it :P

[ragdollsgender]

episode 8 liveblog ^_^

conquests boobs jiggled????? i swear they literally jiggled who fucking did that. who animated that

theres a lot of buildings being destroyed. most ppl r probably evacuated but idk maybe try not to destroy so many buildings

what the fuck was that. with the little heart. what did he mean by this

mark didnt even try to do anything he just let conquest hit him right in the face

its lowkey fun watching mark hit all those buildings like a skipping stone

the animation for this part is distractingly good and mark lowkey looks like a different person with his hair in his face like that. but i may be faceblind

SINCLAIRRRRRR SINCLAIR SINCLAIR. MY WIFE IS HERE MY WIFE

omg she has dark circles................. working too hard............ also shes so cute when shes maniacal ^_^

whats with this random nurses lab coat with the crotch cutout

"DO I LOOK LIKE I NEED TO WALK" woah shes mad as fuck

my touys

yea there was a couple people in that building. thats what i was saying earlier. but obviously this 1 wasnt marks fault and conquest doesnt give a shit

good lird that is a LOT of teeth. hopefully the animators just dont know what baby teeth look like. or maybe bug people just have roots on their baby teeth???

"hah"

this is significantly more fucked up than the comics which is cool

maybe unwise of cecil to teleport there himself

using marks face to kill people again,,,, the parallels,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

dont call her kitten. dont do that

magical girl transformation :) and the anime shwing sfx no less

why are her crotch and ass the only parts not armored. and her stomach which is more concerning for fighting reasons. like getting punched in the stomach is HORRIBLE

oh yea i forgot she gets. punched in the stomach. by the loosest possible definition of the word punched

dont say that

woo intestines dangling and everything. like the car dealership inflatable tube guys

kittycatmoding :pc

yayyyy biting ^_^

what is this little monologue for. like iconic evil autism rep i guess but i still hate viltrumites for being eugenicists. the conquest fans will be eating this up. maybe theres a conquest fan on the crew and thats why hes getting all these poor little meow meow moments

also i didnt realize conquest wasnt a Real Name i thought they were just doing a 16th century puritan thing. like naming your children praise-be-to-god and wrestling but in an evil alien empire way

conquest is butt ass naked. melted all his clothes clean off and cooked his thang like a sausage. thats cold eve

unfortunately eve is also naked. i hoped they would change that. not necessary

STILL ALIVE???? bro is medium well

his arm moved out of the way you can straight up see he has no dick. melted off!

mark is for sure getting a concussion

the parallels,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

yayyyyy full frontal absolutely fucked up face shot yippee ^_^

cecil took a long ass time getting all those other heros over here huh

SINCLAIR AGAIN ^_^ damn i see the (nameless?) woman they made marry her in the background fuck my life. i was hoping they would cut that part :/

rudy is also stealing rexs manbun damn. also in the comics he was using a robot to give the speech cuz he was crying too hard to speak. why the fuck did they cut that part. oh there it is. even though they acknowledged it its still toned down a lot

is eve even wearing a bra under her costume. OR UNDERWEAR?? maybe she couldve taken her undies off at the same time as the shorts but bras dont just go over your head that easily. not even sports bras

woah i wasnt expecting mark to go THAT FAR already. i thought he was just going to be like "well maybe a couple murders is ok sometimes if somebody kills 100s" not "if ANYBODY puts MY FAMILY at risk i will NOT HESITATE TO KILL THEM". make sure to pay extremely good attention while driving around chicago cuz if you make a right turn on red while debbie is crossing the street mark will hunt you down. are right turns on red legal in illinois

DAMIEN DARKBLOOD COMING BACK???????? we fucking win there are SO MANY characters coming back lets fucking goooo

"my putrid maw" this guy revels in the fact he doesnt brush his teeth

who is damien trying to conjure like probably mark considering hes physically powerful and the main character but 1 mark would probably not want to do. whatever this demon coup is. and 2nd of all how would you conjure him

pretty good episode 👍 im personally not a huge fan of main character fight scenes but it was good as far as main character fight scenes go

[tumblingdownthefoxden]

"The Assistant and The Star"

Chapter 12: Caterpillar Goo

Bazeema opened the door to let her friends into her lady lair. “Woah! So this is where you sneak off to during Ceremonies.” Asha gawked at the custom decorations.

“Not enough to have access to a private garden? You needed another large space all to yourself?” Gabo teased with a smile. 

“I need sanctuary from mosquitos.” She said as she shut the door.

Altan arose from a pile of cushions with a yawn and waved to them.

“YOU!!” Gabo dashed onto the couch and grabbed Altan by the coat. “You absolute maniac! Do you have any idea of the situation you just put us in!” Altan stared with wide eyes and lilac hair before turning into a tortoise, retracting their head.

“You turn back into a human this instan- Aaak” Gabo gagged as Altan shot a spray of stardust into his mouth. Gabo coughed and wiped the last of the stardust from his tongue. “That is the last time that we are leaving you alone with Simon.”

“But he will be safe here.” Bazeema said.

“No! He’s not safe anywhere! There’s no way we can continue the operation! Everyone will be on the lookout for them! Or us.” 

Altan shifted back and clutched onto the cushions. 

“So what do we do with Altan? I don’t think we can keep them down here forever.” Dahlia pondered. 

“I could keep them in my home and the forest. Our operation never extended past the city so none of the lone houses or the Hamlet could recognize their disguise!”

“But they will recognize their unfamiliarity.” Gabo countered. “Word about the Traitor of Rosas combined with someone with very yellow hair will not end end well. You'd have to keep them in your house.” He peered at the star. “Probably stop using magic entirely.” 

Altan frowned and shook their head. “Please, Altan. Just stay in that body, no magic exercise, and walk everywhere with a head cover. You will pass as any other human.” Asha assured. 

Altan shook their head again, hair a blood orange. Telling a star to not use magic is like telling a sparrow not to chirp.

“Come on, Altan!” She pressured. “You can use magic at night. We can still finish my wish but we need to keep you safe from Magnifico first. Please? For me?”

Valentino hopped behind Altan and nudged their back with a stern bah. This wasn't the time to be stubborn. Altan breathed in and out of their nose with their hair turning yellow. “Fine.” Altan signed.

“Yes!”

It was dusk and Altan stayed in Asha's bag in his plush form until she got home. The last magic act for the day. Asha explained the situation to her family and would leave Altan in their care while she works. They were on board but there was a new ground rule. Altan needs to stay inside once the sun sets. It would seem weird if someone passing by saw them lying on the roof. It was harder to get Altan on board with that because he wanted the chance to talk to Evangeline and that couldn't happen if he was indoors.

The next morning, Asha hurried through her routine upon oversleeping. Sakina stood in the kitchen rinsing a few fruits as Asha dressed up Valentino for the day. “Don't forget this. Can't let you get sick like last time.” Sakina handed her a small basket with a few plums and grapes and a chunk of bread.

“Oh, thank you.” Asha took the basket and peered over to Altan as he laid asleep on the couch shrouded in a quilt.

“Are you sure you're able to look after them?”

“We’ll be fine Asha. I got a water bucket in case he gets too wild.” Sakina chuckled, glancing at Altan turning over.

Asha hugged her goodbye and sprinted out the door with Valentino.

It has only been 30 minutes since arriving at the castle and Asha had gone up and down the stairway bringing crates upon crates full of glass bottles into the Hollow. If that wasn't draining enough, she was now in the royal garden digging through the dirt. Magnifico had given her 3 sacks and told her to fill them up with live bugs.

Valentino went around the garden taking any beetle he saw into his mouth and dropping them into a bag. He went around a bush to find Bazeema replanting a tree sprout that was in a boot. “Oh hello Val. How are you doing today? Is Asha with you?”

Mouth full of caterpillars, Valentino nodded in greeting and walked back. Bazeema finished with her plant and followed him to where Asha knelt down on the floor with a bag of insects. She joined in on the bug collection.

“Lucky for you, there is a wasp nest we were trying to remove and these bags seem thick enough to hold them.” Bazeema said, tying up one bag “So why does the king need you to collect bugs?”

“I wish I knew.” Asha sighed as she scooped up 4 beetles and dropped them in the bag.

“Want to ask him?”

“Yeah, but I might not. ‘Why a sorcerer needs what a sorcerer needs is not your concern.’ At least that’s what Amaya told me on my first day.”

Asha found 3 centipedes and placed them in the bag. “If anything, this could be related to the next Wish ceremony.”

“Or finding the traitor?” Bazeema suggested.

“I pray it's not.”

The mid-day sun beamed down on the girls as they finally filled up all of the bags. Asha made her way up the castle stairs. Once down into the Hollow, she gently laid the bags on the floor and sat down against the wall. Before her was the black cauldron filled with a honey orange brew. She was too tired to ask what their objective was. She peered at Magnifico as he concentrated on a spell book. “Sir, is it alright with you if I took a break now please. I can’t feel my arms.”

“A break? Sure, go ahead.” Magnifico kept his eyes glued to what looked like an ancient grimoire. Taking her leave, she walked back up the stairs. It’s nice to lay down on the tile floor of the study.

Magnifico took one of the bags and walked to the cauldron. “Are you sure this plan will work?” He asked.

The camera switched to show the right side of his face with a green eye. “We’ve barely begun and you're doubting me?” Madok asked with Magnifico's voice.

The camera switches to his left side with a blue eye. “Well. Bugs aren’t really sufficient payment for a trapping spell, especially on a celestial power.”

“This is to weaken the star. We'll make something more potent to keep them captive later. For now, bugs will suffice.” He turned his head to the counter where the book stood open to a potion page.

“And when can you make the capture happen.”

“So much anxiety.” Madok teased. “I promised to teach you everything about stars. To give you back control. Sit back, fair one. We get there when we get there.” He turned the bag upside down over the cauldron and pulled off the binding string. Hundreds of bugs were released and screamed as they fell into the sizzling pot.

They mixed the elixir with a stick and it turned from orange to a deep purple. They gave a dark chuckle. “Perfect.”

“Now. To be sure it works...” They held up one hand. “This might sting.” Madok shoved his hand into the cauldron. Magnifico’s eye twitched and he retreated his hand with a shout, buckled down in pain. He looked at his hand, now black and blistered. “What was the purpose of that!?” Magnifico demanded, eyes now blue.

“It should do something worse to a star. Should give a regular human a rash. The best way to decipher who is what.” Madok lightly scratched his hand and looked to the tower of glass bottles. “We should have them caught by next week.”

Once all of the bottles were filled, Asha was called and brought crates of potions to the guards to be laid at the castle stage. An assembly was called soon after.

Asha and Amaya stood on either side of a blue-eyed Magnifico who watched the people gather with gloves on.

“Good day, Rosas. I hope that you are in fair spirits. There have been no reports of the traitor but I can sense the growing anxiety in the city.” The crowd mumbled to each other. “So I have taken it upon myself to provide you with arms to find and apprehend the traitor should you have a first-hand encounter with them.”

He held out his hand to his assistant. Asha handed Magnifico a potion bottle and he held it up to them. “This is an elixir that will not only expose this traitor in any disguise, but will weaken their power for several hours. I commend you all to carry one bottle on you and use it when you see fit. Apply it directly to the skin. If it causes a rash, they are innocent.”

The guards on stage called for the crowd to line up before the stage. They handed one bottle to each person before them and continued on until all of the potions were gone.

“And know this. To ensure that this traitor can’t try to run, I will be sending scouts to routinely search the forest and placing more knights around the city and on the docks to keep an eye out for them. Be not afraid of any threat that this traitor could pose. I will leave no place for them to hide. This assembly is dismissed.”

He turned to Asha to hand her bottle back and ask if she has the energy for another supply run as the Hollow storage was freshly depleted. She asked if she could do the run tomorrow as she was still exhausted from today.

As they spoke and the crowd dispersed, two people stood at the front of the stage fairly puzzled.

One of them being Sania Osman.

“So this is going to protect us and our wishes?” She asked a man before her.

“I get to give us a defense but this is an awfully large amount of work to capture one person.”

“Or three. I hear criminals work best in groups.”

“That’s true. But more guards to watch our every move?”

“And why is he bothered by someone granting wishes faster than him?” Sania asked.

“That’s what I’m wondering!” He exclaimed. “And now that I think about it, it's been over a year since I gave him my wish! Where is it!”

“Did you meet the rogue?”

“I hope I do before he catches him. Is their advice as good as they say?” He hardly whispered. Sania nodded.

They spoke loud enough for the King to overhear and become curious. Magnifico excused himself from Asha and turned his attention to their conversation. He walked before them on the stage.

“So do we still need Magnifico?”

Sania barked a laugh. “Magnifico Smagnifico! I could do his job with enough money.” Face unreadable, Magnifico slowly blinked, eyes now green.

At this point, the man noticed his stare and lost his smugness. “Uhh, Sany, maybe we should leave.”

“Oh don’t chicken out on me now love. What’s the King gonna do to us. He doesn’t have the guts to imprison his own people.” Magnifico tilted his head and pointed his staff at her, the head glowing green.

“Sania!” He urged, signaling her to shut up.

Sania rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, he's right behind me. I’m not gonna turn around. And again, what’s the worst he can d-” A large green hand grabbed her body. One finger covering her mouth and pulling above the stage, turning her to face the green eyed king.

“The worst I can do?” He asked. “Well I never considered it. Maybe you can help me. You do have a point, I don't like to use imprisonment.” Sania stared back with wide eyes.

“Leaving you in a dungeon with starving rats is underwhelming. But ants are fun. I’ve read about people being tied to trees and left to the mercy of venomous ants. Ants will bite if not sting at anything that isn't their fellow ant. If attacks from one ant is painful, I wonder what thousands of ants could do to a body. Care to volunteer and help me find out?” The hand tilted Sania slightly. Shaking, she shook her head. He smiled at her terror.

“Okay. Well, there are durable plants for you to play with. I know of a plant called bamboo that grows fast and can break through stone. It's stronger than stone! So how strong is it against bone? Trees are adaptable and if given no other choice, they will use blood and flesh as a nutrient source. Ain’t that fascinating!?” Sania looked sick to her stomach. Magnifico could only smile wider.

“Does that not intrigue you? You can experience first hand the ruthlessness of nature and if it has limits. Do not worry about your mortality. I will heal you after every plant and ant has had a chance to rip your body open.” Sania struggled and shook her head vigorously.

“No? That's a shame. I’d love to test these events on a live subject. I doubt that I can use my assistant so that leaves me with two options. Use a traitor who challenged my authority.” His smile fell away. “or an arrogant woman that thinks she can do my job.”

The finger moved away from her mouth. “Please… please, not me!” She said softly.

“Are you going to behave yourself?”

“Yes.”

“Yes… what?” He cocked a brow.

She casted her gaze down. “Yes, yo-”

“Look at me.” He demanded.

She slowly turned her gaze up. “Yes, your majesty. I am terribly sorry.”

He smiled. “Wonderful. Glad to have this conversation.” The green hand gently put her down and patted her head before disappearing. The pair ran off like death was after them. Magnifico watched them go with blue eyes, resisting the impulse to laugh.

Magnifico turned his head towards Amaya and Asha, both of them looking back in horror.

He signaled them to follow him inside.

He led them to the main hall before turning to them and seeing Amaya glaring at him. “Asha. You can do your run tomorrow but for now, I need you to go up to Hollow note down what is needed please.”

“I would love to sir but-”

“I'll answer your questions later. For now, I am needed for more urgent matters.”

“A-Alright.” Asha walked off and shut the doors behind her, leaving the monarchs to their business. “Judging by your face, you wanted to speak with me alone?”

“Magnus, what on Earth did you do to that woman!¿”

“Oh? Sania Osman? She was slandering my name and efforts to her peer. I only warned her to stop.”

“By grabbing and threatening her with torture!?”

“To disrespect me in my presence is a call for disciplinary actions.”

“I understand your stance but to scare your people will lower morale and they won't be as cooperative with you. We need to keep their faith in us alive.”

Magnifico stood quiet in consideration.

“Their faith in me is already dwindling. As is my faith in them. I need to catch this traitor and restore order as soon as possible. I love your sentimentality for our people but sometimes, faith isn't enough. If the people of Rosas want what is best for them, they will follow my orders and keep any ill mannered thoughts to themselves.”

“That doesn't explain your implications of considering to use Asha for those "experiments". We heard everything you said to her. Please don't tell me you plan to torture the traitor. You're above that!”

He laughed at that. He looked back at her with his eyes showing green, just for a second.

“It was a lie, Amaya! Something to keep Osman on her toes. I would never consider torturing my assistant. As for the traitor, what is to happen to them is still to be decided.” His hands shook as he spoke. He hid them behind his back.

Amaya noticed and only looked suspicious. “Mi rey, are you okay? You seem... off.”

He sighed and lost all sense amusement. “I'm tired of being provoked. A star could have been summoned. I have a traitor in the ranks. That is enough to worry about. I can't have our people get in the way of it.”

She nodded. “If you're only overworked, I can handle the civil affairs while you focus on the traitor's capture?”

His gaze softened. “You are too kind, mi reina. Thank you so much.”

A/N:

I FINALLY FINISHED!! I've been so excited to write Madok threatening someone so much. Initially they were going to talk about leaving Sania covered in honey and left to beetles when I researched bug related tortures and found a news article of people being tortured with venomous ants, which sounds more terrifying.

The next chapter will be shorter than standard. After that will have more starry involvement and resurfaced trauma.

@rascalentertainments @annymation @chillwildwave @uva124 @oh-shtars @snackara @spectator-zee @thesafireartist @wings-of-sapphire @flicklikesstuff @your-ne1ghbor @dangerousflowerpanda