#[ test muse... mayhaps :) ]

[indestructiblelittlefuckers]

(time for my volunteering, hopefully when I get back I can focus on writing. I can't believe my anger over the finale has fueled my muses even more xD)

[endawn]

still thinking about villentreten..merth and his lil pudgy baby

[arcadia-of-pluto]

Twist of Fate; Chapter Three

Pairings; LADS OT4 x reader

Word count; 2,507 (mayhaps I lied...but they will get longer in the future! Trust <3)

Themes; isekai, eventual smut

Rated; 18+ for swearing and some mature themes

Notes; Rafayel curses...once or twice (I believe this warrants a warning)

Prev || Next

Masterlist

The training honestly wasn't that difficult. There wasn't much to say about it. Just testing out different weapons on makeshift dummies that Xavier had created with his light evol or shooting targets from different distances. You warmed up to your gun rather quickly and while you could use other weapons, you preferred the versatility of a gun. You felt like you and Xavier grew closer during the training.

Today, however, was the day of the art expo. You decided to dress a bit nicer than usual, choosing a yellow dress with a choker and some sneakers just in case you needed to fight. Then, you catch a ride to Whitesand Bay where Rafayel's art studio ‘Mo Art Studio’ was located. You pay the taxi driver and start heading for the large metal gate, pushing it open and you go straight for Rafayel’s front door. You don't bother to knock since Rafayel never knocked on your door and this proves to be the right choice as it allows you to sneak up on Rafayel and scare him while he's painting.

“Boo!” You place your hands on his shoulder and Rafayel actually jumps, his paintbrush leaving a jagged red line across the canvas. “Ah, you ruined my- wait,” Rafayel pauses, holding his chin with one hand, “actually…This is going to be my best painting yet. Hold on for a second and go sit down somewhere.”

You flop down on the sofa near Rafayel so you could keep an eye on him painting. “Do you need my assistance again?” You tease and Rafayel looks over at you with a sassy look, “I think I can handle this on my own.”

After thirty minutes of waiting, you roll over on your stomach on the couch. “Are you done yet?” You whine, your feet kicking behind you as you scroll through your phone. “Almost. I just need to do the last finishing touches.”

“Thomas says you're going to be late.” You sing-song, having snitched him out to his manager as a way to make the artist hurry up. “Well then we'll be fashionably late, silly girl.” You pause at the nickname, blinking a few times before your ears turn a light shade of red and you clear your throat. “Are you bringing that painting to the expo?”

“Hmm no? I'm thinking…of giving it to you. Doesn't that sound so charitable of me?” Rafayel muses, finally setting his paintbrush down and he turns toward you, holding a hand out. “Want to take a look?”

You get up from the couch and walk over to Rafayel, taking his hand before he tugs you closer to stand between his legs. He turns you around so your back is to his chest and then rotates his chair to show the painting. It was an abstract piece of art but you could clearly tell it was supposed to be you, lying on your stomach on his couch. “I'll send it to your apartment later, yeah?” His breath brushes past your ear and you hold back a shiver.

“You're too kind.” You say dryly though the smile on your lips contradicts your condescending tone. “I'm happy to be your muse for today.” You turn your head to look at him and Rafayel quickly looks away as his face turns red from his blush. “Let's get going, Miss bodyguard.” He taps your side before standing. “Hopefully we won't encounter any trouble and we can keep your pretty dress clean. Did you dress up just for me?”

“Hmm, more like I dressed up for myself, mister artist.” You poke his chest before shrugging, “but if it helps you sleep better at night then yes, I did dress up for you.” You turn to smile at him with your hands behind your back. “Now let's go lover boy, we can't keep your fans waiting.”

The art expo was boring at best. Rafayel dip, dodged, and evaded every single reporter while you stood off to the side, sipping on a complimentary alcoholic drink. You could've sworn you saw a familiar head of white hair before Rafayel waves a hand in front of your face. “I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes. Don't tell me you've been ignoring me.” He pouts, putting his hands on his hips.

“How could I ever ignore you? You make it so difficult to even try.” You laugh behind your wine glass and Rafayel plucks the glass from your hand, tilting his head back to down the rest of it. He sets the now empty glass on a metal tray as a waiter passes by and rests his hand on the wall behind you, effectively trapping you between him and the wall. “Can you ignore me now?” He asks, leaning his face a bit closer to yours and you hold back a smile as you look away, “I can sure as hell try if that's what you'd like but I don't think you want that.” You glance back at him and he's clearly flustered, not used to you flirting back with him.

“I think you've had too much to drink. It's late, let's get you home.” Rafayel turns to leave but you grab him by his shirt. “Are you scared?” You whisper, raising your left brow as you challenge him. He scoffs, still blushing as he retaliates, “Why would I be scared? Shouldn't you be worried that you'll be in so many news articles? Oh, I can see the headlines now! ‘World renowned artist Rafayel has a mysterious girlfriend’? ‘Artist beloved by millions has his own beloved? Who is she?’ Does any of that sound fun to you?”

“I can always say I'm drunk and you're just helping me out.” you muse, clicking your tongue. “And then the news article would be ‘World renowned artist helps a drunk woman home? Where did he go after, did he go back home or…’ “ you trail off, tilting your head to the side as Rafayel groans, “You really need to know when to stop, silly girl. We're leaving, now.”

Rafayel tugs you outside by your wrist as you laugh, your head smacking against his back as he suddenly stops walking. “What's wrong now, lover bo-” Rafayel suddenly turns around and pins you to a column. “There's reporters at six o'clock. Unless you want everyone knowing you were with me tonight, act like you're so drunk you passed out.”

“You're no fun.” You pout, but rest your head against his chest nonetheless. Your drooping eyes closed as you actually felt a bit sleepy now. “Are you going to carry me out?” You whisper, a smile in your voice before Rafayel sighs and grumbles, “Don't push your luck.” Though you suddenly find yourself being lifted into the air and you wrap your arms around his neck. “Jesus, you can't give me a warning?” You whisper-yell and Rafayel chuckles, “What drunk person needs a warning before being picked up? Now shh, you're supposed to be drunk off your ass right now.”

You pause your retort at hearing Rafayel curse. Now that you think about it…the boys never cursed in game. At least, not that you remember. Curses sound almost pretty coming from Rafayel's lips. You close your eyes once more and rest your forehead against his neck, your hair thankfully covering your face so if any pictures surface, no one would know it's you unless…it's someone who knows you well like Xavier or Zayne but those two never check social media so you doubt they'd find out.

A few cameras go off but for whatever reason, you don't see any more bright shutters behind your eyelids and you end up being lulled to sleep by Rafayel’s breathing and unusually fast heart rate.

The next few days go by rather quickly. You're either chasing after Rafayel and going to Twinkle Toys with him to play the claw machines, training with Xavier and actively fighting wanderers as you're back working at the Hunter's association, or what you're currently doing- which is heading to Snowcrest in the Arctic with Zayne since your grandma's letter said you'd find some answers there with someone called Doctor Noah.

Apparently, he's Zayne's mentor so that makes it even easier to find the man. As you get off the train with Zayne, you notice multiple hunters and check your watch. There must be some metaflux anomalies around the Arctic but that's not what you both were here for. Since today marks a week since you were discharged from the hospital, the wound on your right eye is healed enough to not cause you constant pain.

“You know where we're going right, Zayne?” You ask as you hook your index finger through his belt loop so as to not lose him in the crowd. “You know, if you wanted to hold my hand, you should've just asked.” Zayne takes your hand from his belt loop and instead holds it as he walks. “I-” you pout, ears slightly turning red, “I just didn't want you getting lost.”

“Me getting lost?” Zayne chuckles and shakes his head. “Sure, we'll go with that.”

You talk to a few locals and they point you in the direction of the sleds since that's the only way to get to Doctor Noah's home, which is higher up on the snowy mountain but not too far. “Have you driven one of these before?” You ask as he steps on first and motions for you to stand in front of him. “It's automated.” He tugs you over by your gun strap since you didn't move fast enough, one hand resting on your waist as he presses his chest into your back so he can set a destination on the small, touch pad screen.

“Is this safe?” You ask after a few moments of silence. Zayne presses the last button on screen and sighs, “Do you think I'd be using this if it wasn't safe?” The robotic dog begins to pull the sled and after about thirty minutes of the chilly ride, it finally stops. You're cold, of course shivering but that doesn't stop you from petting the robo dog, even if it doesn't react.

“Let's head inside, you're getting a bit too cold.” Zayne says, tugging at your hand as you both walk toward the cabin.

The information you learnt from Doctor Noah wasn't much of a surprise to you, who is already aware of this information but like always, you have to act as if this is all new and surprising. Like your grandma working for Onychinus, experimenting on children with aether cores, saving you- their most prominent test subject after the Chronorift Catastrophe of 2034, saving Caleb as well, her leaving Onychinus with us and putting that life behind her. Every trail leads to Onychinus being the one behind the explosion that killed grandma and Caleb but you didn't feel so sure about it. Sure, they could've been tying up loose ends by why do something so obvious when they would've just assassinated her and left you and Caleb alive? Maybe they wanted you to be isolated since they want your aether core?

Honestly, even with all of your knowledge about the game, you still didn't know everything. You definitely didn't get every single card, not wanting to spend all of your money in the mobile game, and the game wasn't completed- seeing as an update was scheduled a few months before you entered the game. The only information you had about the next love interest was that his name was Sylus, he was devastatingly attractive with his white hair and red eyes, and his evol was dark red. You would guess blood manipulation could be his evol but that's just speculation. Oh, you also know he is the leader of Onychinus, so if anyone would have answers, it's him. You came to the same conclusion as the one who came before you, the N109 Zone and Onychinus would be where your answers lie.

Though that's easier said than done. The N109 Zone was a lawless area, having taken the most damage during the Catastrophe fourteen years ago. No real plants grow there, it's mostly dark and gloomy, it seems to be the area with the most crime and poverty. It's where orphans and the homeless go…it's where big gangs like Onychinus can run free, an illegal protocore market, all kinds of underground stuff goes on there so honestly, you're a bit worried how you'll fare there. But you have to continue the story somehow.

Doctor Noah's snow white fox Pie hops into your lap as you sit on his porch, blowing out smoke from your lips as you pet the soft creature. Doctor Noah had said Pie got his name because he'd steal pies from people’s windowsills like he was in a cartoon and when the doctor saved the little fox, he ate even more pies. It's a cute reason for a name and it made you want a pet. Your apartment always felt lonesome, even if you saw the three guys every other day. When you were on your own, you felt the most suffocated as the constant reminder that this isn't your world pressed down against your chest. You weren't sure what to do, if you could act differently from the game and what changes it would bring if you did. You didn't want to act too differently and flip the whole story on its head and you not know what the next course of action was.

At least currently, you still know what's left until the end of chapter eight. You still have a month before you're sent into the unknown. A month before you'll allow yourself to spiral, panic, and act differently from the original main character.

You hear the chair next to you creaking as Zayne takes a seat. He stays silent, allowing you to stay lost in your thoughts before he taps your thigh. Pie nips at his finger and nuzzles back into your lap and you turn to look at Zayne. “Look, it's the aurora.” He smiles, jerking his head in the direction of the sky and honestly, that's exactly what you needed. You lean back in your chair, head tilted up as you look at the pretty lights in the sky that only appear in the arctic. “It's so beautiful.” You murmur, cold hands lightly petting Pie to stay warm.

“It is.” Is all Zayne says and you know he's looking at you without even having to see his face. You knew how the game went and you knew you'd have to stay the night in Snowcrest before heading back to Linkon tomorrow. Then, a few weeks after that, you'd be going on a mission with Rafayel.

Honestly, all you wanted to do was rest. Especially with everything that's soon to come.

Your eyes slowly drifting closed and your hand falls from Pie's soft fur. Your last thought as you fell asleep was that you wanted to bring Rafayel here to give him some inspiration.

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I hope no one minds double author's notes! To be honest, I'm losing my mind a little bit having to post this to three different sites but it's fun. Tumblr is by far the prettiest in terms of design though. Wattpad and AO3 are the bane of the existence but I don't mind posting to multiple platforms in case one story gets taken down. Then, I still have the copies! So, I guess, it's worth it in the end.

Hope you enjoyed this short chapter (I sound like a broken record) and I'm really hoping the next one is longer because I don't even remember...)

[iinvu]

                         i have a few test muses i'd like to try out so mayhaps like for a random starter from one of them 🤭

                   benji hill, 26, mechanic & hitman

                   isobel edwards, 27, toxicologist

                    leo fitzgerald, 29, kickboxer

[sunlessea]

plots please for elysium, sherlock, and giselle mayhaps ...... i'll put thana in london to make them fit they'll see the horrors

send "plots please" (+ muse/s) for plot suggestions for our muses! / @vtriol

sorry this is so late if u saw my keyboard / laptop saga i've been suffering KJEMNRH ANYWAYS... trying to keep these very basic so they're flexible, if anything doesn't fit or u want to tweak xyz that's more than fine but here's some ideas 😳

elysium ➛ the easiest to write with cuz he's just so... approachable rly lmao. 2 initial ideas that can be separate or combined or expanded on : ely runs the only bookshop in london that allows books imported from the surface w the permission of mr pages, which fits well with thana's character owning a bookshop in their canon. if we go the route of thana being a recent arrival in fallen london, seeking a job at once upon under elysium would be possible & easy enough [it also has a lodge above it, which would fit in well w FL's beginnings in canon where the MC has to shack up in some rando's attic lmao KJERMNH] since they wouldn't have any money yet, ely could just consider the job repayment for the lodgings until thana is more situated in the city. that's an idea to set up a meeting!

second that could be tacked on or if u wanted to make thana more familiar with london is the inquisition being present in the city and hunting non-human citizens. or sometimes just assassinated humans they find ungodly under the vatican 💀 anw my point is the local inquisition hunters [like sherlock, who is Famous TM in london] being hired to ~kill thana~ for xyz reason and ely stepping in to warn them and/or protect them. why? who knows, ely just kinda DOES SHIT and hopes he doesn't die in this city. he's technically sherlock's rival despite being retired too, so. easy enough to put a character in danger in london !

sherlock ➛ meanwhile, speaking of this ahole KJERNHM there's the idea of bouncing off ^ that and having sherlock basically get hired to hunt down and kill thana. though they're a vampire hunter on the surface, it IS more apt to say anyone in london can pay sherlock to kill whoever and there's v few cases they won't take cuz they don't care about anyone except jack-of-smiles [initially.] who what why is smth to figure out but ofc, it being fallen london, anyone can want anyone dead for any number of reasons. :')

alternatively, could have thana seeking to hire sherlock instead, for matters related to the supernatural or not. OR tbqh thana could just get caught up in one of sherlock's stories lmfao. when jack-of-smiles isn't active, the sherlock crew [moriarty, watson, sherlock themself, and irene] tend to get caught up in city-wide capers so any number of ppl can get dragged into those adventures since that's where a lot of the books about them come from in the city kjerhmn

giselle ➛ is an oddball who kinda doesn't belong in london, as in the city proper, since she's from sunken venice and is only in the city as a delegate from the fae to try to broker some agreement with the masters of the bazaar. that makes her a wild case though cuz if u wanted thana to be able to leave london, there could be some kind of test program b/t venice and the masters to allow a small handful of londoners to come live among the fae in venice and see if they're able to integrate properly. thana could just easily be randomly chosen for this. (whether they want to go or not. if the masters are at the helm, no one chosen has a choice, they're going to venice :^) klrjtmnhkrthmn). giselle would be in charge of getting them moved in, situated, and keeping an eye on them so that's easy enough to keep them interacting.

alternatively, if you wanted to ~stay in london~, giselle prob could have the most casual plot in just meeting her while she's trying to kill herself dealing w the worst people imagineable until she's allowed to leave london and go home EKJRHN [she hates the masters] [PLEASE let her leave]

[alchemistdetective]

"There's a great deal of passion here, sheltered hearts full of fear. But who shall be the muse to my art, which to open, where to start?" It's like the very walls are whispering to each of them, from the very air itself.

"The lonely fox with his heart thoroughly sheltered? Should I drag it out until it's sun-sweltered?" Rirune would smell something sickly sweet, for a moment.

"The fairy haunted by the wall beyond? Should I tinker with her, how would she respond?" Crescent's vision would flash pink for a moment.

"A passionate alchemist with her eyes all aglow? What emotions does she fall back on when she is brought low?" Chloe would feel her hands go numb, then tingly for a moment.

"A mind-muddled beast hiding under the earth? Could she, when tested, express her worth?" Flandre would taste something on her tongue, like rotten meat and strawberry candy, for a moment.

"Maybe the ever busy boy with too many responsibilities? What does it take to abandon those sensibilities?" Eri's ears would start to crackle and ring for a moment.

"Or mayhap another? The world is a big place. To bring out such passion makes my heart race. Cry laugh and scream for me, I need to know more. What your hearts contain when brought to the fore. Sleep and await me, for I will soon arrive. I'll make your hearts burst, make you feel alive." All of them would experience all five symptoms at once for another fleeting moment. "Once more, with Passion, my dears. I'll see you in your dreams, show me hope, show me fears."

"... Drag my heart if you can. That is, if you show yourself first."

Rirune had to pinch his nose for a moment, before everything was hit at once, that he gritted his teeth over the sheer pain of it all. It didn't take long for him to stand up... before wondering what all of it was.

Chloe... Chloe's going to lie down for a bit.

Thankfully, she has medicine which cures all of those ailments easily. It's something she keeps for emergency, and this is... well, an emergency.

Flan would run to Patchouli for some quick herbs to get this awful taste in her mouth... but not after releasing a bit of her temper towards training dummies, objects, and the like.

Sometimes, a bit of violence is what's needed to calm yourself down.

"I-It's okay, everyone! Sorry for making you all worry like that! I-I think I might have gotten a headache of some kind, so... I'm going to quickly go to the doctor's for a bit, okay? Sorry to end the stream so soon! Take care!"

As infalliable in his idol image as ever, Eri managed to only flinch a bit, but able to hold back his pain just to not make his audience worry in the middle of his stream.

But what is he going to do is lie down on his bed and rest.

...

The only one who didn't react and stood her ground... was none other than the fairy who knew the existence of what lies beyond the 'wall beyond'. The Watchers, the voices which dictate all...

She seen it. Because underneath that pink... was...

"Red..."

[quartarcade]

hmmm debating on adding a few more oc muses and mayhaps attempt at more canon ones to here tho they'll be added at different times and I'll be testing them out

OCS

Beeline - Fandomless raiju descendant oc tho has a crash bandicoot verse and a Toontown verse)

Sleepy Eepy Lackadazey - Toontown Online (specifically Corporate Clash)

CANONS

Kururu - Keroro Gunso (im not kidding you when I say the psd for these icons came to me in a dream a few years back and I made these asap)

Multislacker - Toontown Corporate Clash

[mightymizora]

The Berath's Wheel

1776 words, The Watcher/Serafen, Pillars of Eternity Deadfire

The Watcher is aptly named; he can feel her eyes on him many a time as they sail. She’s a Cipher like he, so she could probe further if she wanted, but she is content to watch. He’s used to being an object of desire, willing or unwilling, so that’s familiar enough to him, but there is something else under her gaze that he can’t quite catch tail of for many a month.

Some days he likes to test how far she will go with it, rolling up his sleeves to help pull the ropes, climbing the mast to see if her gaze will follow him up. Always she is unpredictable in her actions, some days her pretty mouth agape as her eyes are fixed on the fur of his chest, other days with a nose in a book away from the world. On those days he could be a monster from the depths cleaving the hull in twain and he wouldn’t shake her fair nose from a ratty tome, her tiny frame dwarfed by books meant for hands twice her size.

They speak sometimes on that, the strangeness of existing in a land built for towering Aumaua, the chairs to their chests and the steps taking their stride. She tells him that when she sat in her seat as the lady of Caed Nua her feet would not touch the floor, so she held them as still as she could to try to keep a countenance. That one time she was so mindful of keeping herself still she stopped listening to the farm hand’s petitions, accidentally granting him three gold pieces for new goats leading to the keep being overrun with livestock. He had laughed so hard tears came to his eyes at that, and doubly hard when he realised she blushed with embarrassment at it. 

Still, she were no prig, not in the moments that mattered. Her kindness doesn’t stop her from finding joy where she knew it could be teased out gentle, and she always knows exactly how to needle ‘em in a way that kept all on the side of her good graces. A rare talent. A rare mind, that was certain, a rare mind that always keeps engaged, thoughtful, precise and sharp.

The Watcher is aptly named, and that’s all he thought she were for until one night, returning to the ship from a dip in the bathhouse, she comes to him for more.

There’s a hint of mead on her breath the first time she accosts him, not too much as to be a problem mind, but enough to stir the kind of courage she’d shown in battle when she reaches across the bow into another’s mind, or summons great spirits with the bellow of her voice. She is as steady in her resolve as she ever is, any nerves undetectable to the untrained eye though, be it fortunate or no, he’s no untrained eye. Her fur is slightly on end, mayhaps on account of the wind coming in from the south-east, but it is a warm one tonight and he’s seen her weathering worse. She softly chews at the innermost part of her lip when she stops speaking, something he’s only seen her do when speaking to the high and mighty, and part of him is sad that he sees it on her now. She says that she is fine with a roll, not a ring, and as he delves into her mind to check her on it she lets him do so freely, so at least she believes it to be true.

She tells him to meet her in her cabin and when she finally joins him (late enough for him to almost have fallen asleep in the softness of her imported sheets, he’s not as young as once he was) she stands in the doorway with her hands still behind her back, as if her touch on the wood is keeping her safe from him. She is out of armour, granted, but trussed up like sack of rice in a dress that comes up to her chin. He asks her if she’s changed her mind, jokingly says he’s comfortable in the bed but will sleep on the floor if pressed, but she stops him with a raised hand. It’s fine to stay, she tells him, but she needs a moment, she needs…

He muses out loud whether she’s had any sort of experience and she’s quick to say she does, but once the words leave her mouth there she is worrying her lip again. Her mind is blocked to him now, and he tells her that these things are never so fun if that’s the case, even if he promises not to pry deep she needs to be open of mind. Her shoulders slump slightly as she fidgets around the words, eventually settling on a few over broken sentences. The sum of it being that she has in this life and others, in this life not a lot but some, and she consented but the act of it didn’t feel the way she wanted them to. They were diplomatic gestures, she says, a funny old choice of words that bring a snarl to the corner of his mouth that she’s quick to subdue. Willing, not without choice, she corrects, but still without a freedom of mind that she wants to give now. A freedom of mind she has guarded quite fiercely.

Willing, but not free. It’s a phrase that gnaws at him a little after, but in that moment he’s not got enough blood in his head to think much on it. Once he’s sure she wants him here, once he’s on his feet and by the door and he’s tugged that godsforsaken dress down from her shoulders and nipped at her neck, once her mind opens with her body he lets himself be there, and fuck her mind is a beautiful landscape, on par with her body. He’s fucked other Ciphers before, other Orlan Ciphers before even, but the added senses she brings are cacophonous the first time, a crash of senses and memories and fragments that are beyond anything he’s experienced. She’s a natural like he, not learned, and it makes the mind stretch and bend in ways that far outstrip what a kith body can stretch to. 

When he makes her come the first time, he knows it’s her first time as energy bursts from her with such force that it nigh on burns his brain out. She’s mortified of course, shrinks inside of herself on the inside and out, and it takes some coaxing to get her to relax again. He wonders then if she’s younger than she looks, but she quashes that curiosity immediately. No time to herself in years, no reason to seek it out, no real need to experiment if it weren’t to help others. He feels sorry for all of those who missed out on the beauty of it, and vowed to make it happen at least once again. Should she be willing, of course.

She was willing, and it didn’t much surprise him. There was a boldness taking over her that burned through her, something new that came from being on the sea. That or the walking God, such things do tend to make folk funny. She came to him again, and again. She came to him one morning as the ship docked at Port Maje and again in the evening, and he scarce wanted to admit that he could barely keep up with her, using his mouth where other parts of him were failing.

The Watcher’s eyes become keener, seeking, looking for something in him that ain’t there. Her memories open up to him as her legs do, and he sees parts of her that she tells him nobody knows. He watches her then, steady and poised as always, the pretty plaything of rich folk in Old Vailia, their crumbling, dull palaces an ill-fit for her dazzling light. She looks to him too, still trying, and he gives her some things, granted, but there is more that’s not for her.

He thinks she understands. That they have an understanding. Until they don’t.

The head of Master Kua does it in, does them in. He looked like them, this slaver, this beast of a man, they both knew it. He looked like them and he done things that bring them both shame, and in her pain she reaches for him and in his he pulls away. He can’t be what she wants. He doesn’t want to be what she wants. What good does that kind of feeling do? He can’t understand it. Where does it lead? A marriage, kids and a house and a sinking into the mud? He only loves the sea. The sea, even over himself, and she needs more, and there’s no shame in that.

They part ways, when the Wheel cracks. He takes her ships, her fleet. She doesn’t want it. She takes Vela, and that breaks his heart, but it’s right. He thinks she’ll take Aloth too. He’s seen the way that long stick of a man looks at her, but she doesn’t. He goes his way. She hers. And that’s that. He never thinks he will see her again. Time rolls on, as it does. He doesn’t think he will see her again, until one day, he does.

Many years. Many lives lived. She still looks young, least to him, standing on the dock at Neketaka. Still trussed up in ribbons and ruffs, still stood with her hands clasped. She is the Lady of Caed Nua again, come to be envoy to Neketaka. Or she was. Now she has given over her lands, she tells him, to Vela, who is to be married. She is a fine girl, she tells him, and misses him greatly.

She comes aboard the ship again, and that is where he sees she is changed. Something sinks in her, not down, but mayhaps settles, spreads. She tells him she is older now. Things are different, now. She wants things different. She wants freedom. She wants companionship. She wants a friend, and she’s had no better friend than him all her life. That she misses him, misses all he was before. Can he believe her?

She opens up her mind again, and all he sees is the sea and time passing, so much time. He sees her stretch and part, mourn and laugh. He sees the sight of him in all of it, and it bleeds into the waves.

He holds her hand. Feels right to. Feels right.

[aselysium]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀So TriMax giving me rot for this creature so mere testing phase muse! So like or invade my ims to let the beast free mayhaps~

Only testing so I won’t do much just getting the feel for Nai at the moment

[tallbluelady]

The Last Gift

1.3k because 6.2 MSQ got some details wrong...

Ameliance had just started tea with Rowan when Forchenault came barging in, as was his wont in the estate. As much as she loved him, he was terribly prone to forgetting that he shared the space with others.

"I've been their main contact on the ground for over a decade, and now they're expecting me to be their messenger boy. Can you believe that Ameliance?" he asked, entirely unaware of their guest.

"It can only mean that they trust you, love," Ameliance said. "But mayhap we can discuss it after our guest has gone home?"

Forchenault turned from his wife and nigh jumped at Rowan's presence.

"Mistress Argentas, I didn't realize you were here." He clasped his hands together. "That actually saves me a considerable amount of time."

Rowan gave a graceful nod, almost as if being ignored was a regular thing for her, bless her heart. "Did you need to speak to me about something?"

"The Lopporits asked for your presence on the Moon. They wanted to thank you for your help in their latest project personally," Forchenault said.

"Oh. That's kind of them. Usually they send someone to me, but mayhap they want me to test their new dungeon..." she mused.

"They told me Urianger was there -" he stopped when Rowan almost shot out of her chair in excitement.

She shook her head and sat back down. "Oh, I, uh... I shouldn't leave so quickly after all the work you did to bring us together, Ameliance."

Ameliance shook her head. "Twas no hardship to arrange. Go and see your fiance."

Rowan ran a gamut of emotions on her face, went to hug Ameliance, then started to teleport right then and there. With a woosh and a whistle, she was gone.

"Fiance? Do you mean to tell me they're engaged?" Forchenault asked. "When did that happen?"

Ameliance just smiled and sipped her tea.

*   *   *

Rowan had to shake some of the aether out of her head as she reappeared at the Beastway Burrows aetheryte. Using the aethernet was disorienting when you only had to traverse a few malms away. Traveling to the moon on such short noticed made her slightly more dizzy than she had anticipated.

"Are you alright?" the squeaky voice of a Lopporit asked.

"Are you going to faint?" another one asked.

"I'm in no danger to faint, just a little more dizzy than I thought," she said. "Where's Urianger?"

She turned when she heard his quick steps and started to laugh. Sure, she was just as excited to see him, teleporting out of a meal, but it still tickled her to see him run to her. She gave a squeal of delight as he lifted her off the ground.

"It hasn't been that long since we parted, darling," Rowan said as she was smothered in kisses.

Urianger planted one last big kiss on her cheek before he spoke. "Dost thou not wish to be greeted thusly?"

"No, pray continue to kiss me as often as you like, ser. I just... what's the occasion?"

"Mayhap mine enthusiasm doth stem from the Lopporits' own. The information gleaned from our foray into Alzadaal's vault happened to be the very bolt of inspiration to throw the shackles of many a bound mind in the Burrow."

"Oh, truly? That's wonderful to hear," Rowan said. "Do I get to see what they're up to?"

Urianger shook his head solemnly. "Nay, the project yet requireth a few revisions before any adventurer is allowed to peruse the location."

"Don't you count as an adventurer?" Rowan asked. "Last I checked you delved into those ruins along side me, on top of all the other exotic locales you've traveled to."

"As their chief advisor on the project, they hath made an exception for me," he said haughtily.

Rowan gave a few chuckles at that. "Ah, very well. But why else did they ask for me to come here then? Forchenault didn't seem so pleased to be their errand boy when he told me."

Urianger took her arm as if to escort her. "Livingway doth have a gift and wisheth to deliver it to thy person herself."

"Did you tell her that she should do so?" Rowan asked, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"I was consulted upon the distribution of the object," Urianger admitted. "Twas almost to be a reward for any who braved their dungeon, but I foresaw that thou mayest have a sentimental connection to it."

"Oh?"

"Verily. But I shall say no more on the subject - twould be hardly fitting for Livingway's first gift to be one bereft of surprise."

 Rowan hummed in agreement then realized the procession of Lopporits following behind them. "How large of an audience am I to have?"

"As many as thou thinkest appropriate. Thou art more than welcome to make this a private affair, if thou wishest so."

She shrugged. "They've worked hard and I suppose I can feign delight for them if it comes down to it."

"I doubt that thou wilt have cause to feign delight. I dare not say more lest thou derivest the object's nature."

"Darling, I have no idea what Livingway could give me that would be sentimental," she said.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here to give it to you now," Livingway said as she met them in one of the atria of the Burrows.

Rowan nodded. There were many Lopporits gathered around them now. She would be lying if she said she could tell any of them apart other than Livingway. Why didn't Venat give her familiars more varied coloring?

"Anyways, per Urianger's instruction, I've wrapped the gift for you." She handed Rowan a gift box.

"Tis beautifully wrapped," Rowan commented. "The ribbon is even my favorite color."

Urianger nodded and smiled. "The outside appearance of a gift oft addeth to the experience of receiving one, dost thou not agree, Rowan?"

"It does indeed." Rowan smiled, feeling the lesson being imparted to the Lopporits in his words. She started to untie the ribbon in earnest and open the box.

Inside was a familiar looking crystal that glowed gently in the shadowed recesses of the box. Rowan gasped when she touched it. It felt so familiar in her hands.

"Do you not like it?" Livingway asked, ears drooping.

"No... it's just... it feels so strongly of Her." She turned back to Livingway. "Where did you get this?"

"It was the very crystal that guided us to Ultima Thule," Livingway said, perking up a little. "Urianger said it would mean more to you than to any other on Ethyris."

Rowan gave a soft chuckle at that. "He was correct on that front, as is his wont. I'm almost completely speechless." 

"So... you like it then?" Livingway asked.

Rowan nodded and extended her arms out for a hug. Livingway looked to Urianger, who smiled and nodded. Then she cautiously came into arm's reach of Rowan, who scooped the small being close to her chest.

"Thank you, Livingway. This means so much to me. Much more than I can say in words." Rowan gave an extra squeeze before letting Livingway go.

"Yes, well, we didn't have much use for it ourselves..." Livingway muttered, suddenly bashful. "I am glad that you like it though."

*   *   *   *   *

"Urianger said that you received something from the Lopporits last you saw them," Y'shtola said as they waited for Varshaan to reappear at the Great Work.

"Oh, aye." Rowan dug around her myriad of pockets. "Twas this crystal of light."

The Miqo'te woman held the object in her hands. "It still bears some of Her essence. Where did they get it?"

"Twas our guide to Meteion, so it was created before the Sundering. Livingway was going to have it be a prize for those who delved their dungeon before Urianger stepped in."

"I suppose Urianger has more to teach his little disciples about life on Ethyris," Y'shtola chuckled.

Rowan could only join in the chuckling before she joined in with everyone else's turning heads to see Varshaan's new form.

[zombified-queer]

“Do you trust me?” With some managerboy mayhaps👀

I think mayhaps you may!

“Do you trust me?” The Lobby Boy adds quickly, “Ma’am?”

She knows she can, even though she can barely see through the pain in her skull. Her eyes water as the lights seem to brighten in the lobby. One hand shielding her eyes, she nods.

The Lobby Boy is a flurry of motion. Tonight’s uniform is shades of stark black and clean white. Through the migraine and the Manager squeezing her eyes shut, the uniform is all gray.

She forces her eyes open. The Manager watches his hands. But they’re empty.

He stands behind her. The Manager bristles. She knows where he is, always, but he’s never been this close before. Not unless she initiated the proximity.

His hands are cold. His skin is rough. He smells like sweat. Under that, faintly, rot and bleach. His thumbs press at the base of her skull. Not hard enough to hurt but a good use of force.

She makes a low warning growl deep in her chest.

“I know,” he soothes, rubbing small circles into those two spots. “Sorry.”

He presses again, applying pressure.

The pain’s gone. The Manager blinks, stunned by the sudden lack of sensation. The lack of something startles her badly enough she rests both hands on her front desk.

The Lobby Boy pulls his hands away, wiping them on his black slacks. He looks startled and backs up until he’s pressed against the wall. His shoulder bumps the rack of keys and they sway, clattering noisily—plastic on metal.

“Sorry, ma’am.”

“Where’d you learn to do that?’’ The Manager runs fingers over the back of her neck, trying to figure out what those spots have to do with her migraines.

“One of the guests,” the Lobby Boy admits, not looking her in the eye. “She said, um, to try it the next time you…”

And then he shrugs helplessly.

The Manager drops her hands at her sides. She remembers that guest. One who’d insisted on charts about stars and personality tests. And insisted the Manager was the Lobby Boy’s “lady friend.” The Manager’s lip curls.

She’d been so grateful when those birds tore out that guest’s throat.

“Sorry,” the Lobby Boy repeats.

“It’s fine,” the Manager says.

For a moment, they linger there, the walls of the work dropped. She offers him a small twitch of her lips, not the customer service smile she gives the guests. And the Lobby Boy looks relieved. He steps away from the wall to take his place, smiling.

It’s not a pretty smile, the Manager muses, but it’s a smile she made him smile with just two words. No orders. No demanding. Just two soothing little words.

“If that didn’t help, sometimes guests leave bottles of pills,” the Lobby Boy confides. “Aspirin or…”

“That won’t be necessary.”

The Lobby Boy nods. Her good boy lingers close by, just in case she needs something else.

[bloodfists]

muses I kind of want to add...

gojo jjk ... my beloved...

i always wanted to write albedo genshin but i can no longer keep up with genshin lore so mayhaps not...

rufus shinra...

maybe ill put shen qingqiu here too even though my long ago beloved... 

and i have have some fandomless ocs maybe ill throw here for test runs ...

but also I have so little time these days I might not do any ... 

[filthysins]

*stares at test muses* do i really want to write opens for all of them? not really. will i? mayhaps. 

[nazorneku]

♡ for cube (derogatory)

The navigator was as ever an imposing persona, evoking an unquestionable respect and compliance from the members of the Astral Express, save for one man, whose antics most of the time served to test the limits of her character and tolerance. Such a refreshing experience to anew converse with someone who could maintain the flow of barbed remarks, dipped in pretence of sugary words, whereas their interdimensional companion either redirected the inconvenient conversation or opted to deprive Void Archives with so much anticipated reaction. Nevertheless it was their forte to observe and learn, to absorb human quirks and register patterns of conduct within an incalculable amount of tomes amidst their library. Thus they were capable to provide a fair estimation to a person under their scrupulous observation, if they were so inclined. For the momentary amusement, they elected to speak with a genuine sentiment. "Himeko is very inquisitive and industrious, yet still lacks courage to step over the boundaries of imaginable." Albeit the clarification on what was implied was not provided, her restraint was noted, which distinguished her from the majority of people of science; despite that they could not deny the intrigue forming within their processor core, finding self experiencing curiosity if that was a result of her life's events.

A moment of further contemplation prolonged, the divine key differentiate her strongly from the other they knew, mayhap the knowledge of various reflections begat impish impulses and callous remarks, devoid of any consideration and regard toward human emotions. "I'm happy to see her realize her dream and this train going at least in this universe. But is this really enough to sate the hunger and ambition of that woman? We shall see." A smile saturated with complacency stretched their lips, as they delivered the final judgement; the time would smooth their edges of discrepancy, providing yet another companion on whom they can rely on for explanation and comprehension on what it means to be 'alive'.

○○○○○ | ATTRACTION ●○○○○ | AFFECTION ●●●●�� | INTEREST ●●○○○ | LOYALTY ●●○○○ | TRUST

LOW | ●●●●● | HIGH

&. what my muse thinks of yours || @chasersglow

[underworldsarcade]

ooc

ahaha.... new test muse mayhap

[attroxx]

❛ @mythcaels said . . . honesty - muse a wipes muse b’s tears away from under their eyes / minto & casper mayhaps? ❜

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 ? a hand raises toward his cheek. it's wet. sucking in a breath the realization hits him. is he crying ? it'd all started with eve . . . it always did. minto and casper had gotten closer as of recent and well . . . minto had asked about his past. and even he'd mentioned eve it seemed to intrigue the other. he'd went on to explain how she was his caretaker, the one who'd ' insured ' his safety during those tests, during his time in the facility.

then his face was soaking wet. a look of surprise and shock rolls across his expression. minto seems to realize this too and a thumb comes toward him to wipe away those tears. why was he crying ? ears flatten against his hair in response, appearing sheepish at the gesture. sure, he missed eve and often nights he wondered if maybe the crash had just been a way to get rid of him . . . a way to get away from her burden. but he missed her all the same.

❛ i . . . i'm sorry. i don't know what came over me. ❜

gentleness meme. — accepting.