#9. for that last one and 10 for this: who was cassandra protecting who’s her baby?! (likely corrupted baron but. i<3clarity)

[mazeyphaedra]

in thinking the next ep is the final battle here is a non exhaustive list of mystery track things i wish happened/were investigated:

ruben on the cw podcast

kvx bank investigations (logo change, what else changed, is oisín’s ancestor involved in it now, how reliable is nemesis alert)

who wrote the name on lucy’s paper??????

who were the multiple assailants!??!!!

kipperlilly’s network (did aelwyn quit when she got hired at the compass points?)

what was henry hopclap’s letter about

riz’s stipend?!

who were ivy and mary ann before they were rage starred (were all the rat grinders rage starred how did it happen what is the history give me rat grinder canon i am begging!!!!!!!!!)

[daitranscripts]

What Pride had Wrought Pt. 14

The Well of Sorrows

What Pride had Wrought Masterpost Previous: Abelas

Morrigan and the PC look over the Well of Sorrows and at the eluvian on the other side.

Morrigan: You’ll note the intact eluvian. I was correct on that count, at least.

PC: Is it still a threat? Can Corypheus use it to travel the Fade?

Morrigan: You recall when I took you through my eluvian, I said each required a key? The Well is the key. Take its power, and Mythal’s last eluvian will be no more use to Corypheus than glass. I did not expect the Well to feel so… hungry.

Dialogue options:

General: Be careful. [1]

General: That’s not good. [2]

General: Back away. Now. [3]

1 - General: Be careful. PC: Let’s not be reckless. I don’t want anyone hurt.

2 - General: That’s not good. PC: Seems like that should be a concern. Morrigan: Knowledge begets a hunger for more.

3 - General: Back away. Now. PC: Don’t go any closer, Morrigan.

Morrigan: I am willing to pay the price the Well demands. I am also the best suited to use its knowledge in your service.

Party Comments:

Solas: Or more likely, to your own ends. Morrigan: What would you know of my “ends,” elf? Solas: You are a glutton drooling at the sight of a feast. You cannot be trusted. ㅤㅤ ㅤ

Vivienne: Do not trust her, Inquisitor. She’s a parasite, only here because she sensed a meal more hearty than you. Morrigan: Hm. Said by one whose only motive for joining the Inquisition was altruism. Vivienne: Is is altruism or sense not to plunge headfirst into a power you don’t remotely understand? Morrigan: Why should I be refused, when the reasons to allow it are sound? ㅤㅤ ㅤ

Cassandra: I do not like this. She is far too eager. Morrigan: I do not hide it. To restore lost knowledge, I would risk much. Cassandra: And what would you do with it? You could be worse than Corypheus. Morrigan: So paralyze yourself for fear of what might be? I can give nothing but my word.

Morrigan: Of those present, I alone have the training to make use of this. Let me drink, Inquisitor.

4 - Dialogue options

Investigate: You alone have the training? [5]

Investigate: What about the price? [6]

General: You really want this? [7]

General: Perhaps nobody should use it. [8] +Sera approves

General: How can I trust you? [9]

5- Investigate: You alone have the training? PC (Dalish): “You alone”? This is my heritage! PC (non-Dalish mage): “You alone”? You’re not the only mage here. PC (non-Dalish, non-mage): What “training” makes you so qualified? Morrigan: I have studied the oldest lore. I have delved into mysteries of which you could only dream! Can you honestly tell me there is anyone better suited?

10 - Dialogue options:

General: Solas? [11]

General: Vivienne? [12]

General: Dorian? [13]

General: Myself./Then it’s me. [14]

General: I don’t know. [15]

General (after suggesting another companion): Maybe Morrigan is right. [16]

11 - General: Solas? PC: What about you, Solas? Solas: No. Do not ask me again. [back to 10] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 12 - General: Vivienne? PC: What about you, Vivienne? Vivienne: If anyone, it should be you. The mark on your hand may protect you. [back to 10] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 13 - General: Dorian? PC: What about you, Dorian? Dorian: A human from Tevinter scoops up the last bits of elven knowledge? I know why you ask. I know it’s important, but… I can’t be that man. [back to 10] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 14 - General: Myself./Then it’s me. PC: I would be. Morrigan: You lead the Inquisition. This is not a risk you can take. I have the best chance of making use of the Well… for everyone. Let me drink. [back to 4] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 15 - General: I don’t know. PC: I don’t know who’s “better suited,” and neither do you. Morrigan: I have the best chance of making use of the Well… for everyone. Let me drink. [back to 4] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 16 - General: Maybe Morrigan is right. PC: Perhaps you’re right. Morrigan: I am. You know I am. [back to 4]

6 - Investigate: What about the price? PC: You’re not concerned about the price? “Bound forever to the will of Mythal”? Morrigan: Bound to the will of a dead god? It seems an empty warning. Perhaps a compulsion yet remains. Who can say otherwise? I do not fear it, even so. [back to 4]

7 - General: You really want this? PC: Are you sure you want this, Morrigan? We don’t know what will happen. Morrigan: We do not, and yet it must be done. I am ready.

8 - General: Perhaps nobody should use it. PC: I hate to say it, but Abelas’s plan to destroy the Well may be the best one. Morrigan: What happens when Corypheus comes for you again? He is immortal. The wisdom of the Well may include a way to destroy him. Give me this, and I fight at your side. I shall be your sword.

9 - General: How can I trust you? PC: What’s to stop you from taking the knowledge and leaving? Morrigan: My word. If that seems insufficient, Corypheus threatens all–even myself. He must be stopped. PC: And who stops you? Morrigan: I, Inquisitor, seek neither immortality nor your life.

17 - Scene continues.

18 - Dialogue options:

What does everyone else think? [19]

Arcane: I know the Well’s danger. [20]

Morrigan, the Well is yours. (Morrigan will gain the power of the Well.) [21] -Vivienne Greatly Disapproves -Cassandra Disapproves -Iron Bull Disapproves +Blackwall Approves (romanced) +Solas Approves +Sera Approves

I’ll use the Well myself. (The Inquisitor will gain the power of the Well.) [22] -Sera Greatly Disapproves -Solas Disapproves -Dorian Disapproves (romanced) -Dorian Slightly Disapproves +Blackwall Approves (not romanced) +Iron Bull Approves +Cassandra Approves +Vivienne Greatly Approves

19 - General: What does everyone else think? PC: Thoughts?

Party Comments:

Solas: She is right about only one thing: we should take the power which lies in that well.

Vivienne: I would not trust the power in that well with anyone but you, my dear.

Dorian: It all seems ghoulish. Let Morrigan use it, if she wants it so much.

Dorian(romanced): I don’t want to risk losing you to a well.

Varric: You’re asking me? This is a lot of… weird. I barely understand how any of this works.

Cole: So many voices. They would be in your head, talking over you. You don’t want them.

Sera: It’s called the Well of Sorrows. Sorrows. No one should go in the Well of Sorrows.

Cassandra: If it is truly between you and her… then let her take the risk. Maker help us all.

Cassandra (romanced): I… do not know. If there is risk to you…

Iron Bull: Any chance this Well could help us against Corypheus, I say you take it.

Blackwall: I’d trust you with this power more than her… but it is not for me to decide.

Blackwall (romanced): I won’t lose you. Let the witch use the Well.

Morrigan: Enough deliberation. Give me your decision. [back to 18]

20 - Arcane: I know the Well’s danger. PC: Looking at it, listening to it… that’s not just knowledge from the ancient elven priests. It’s their will. Morrigan: How would you know such a thing? PC: That’s what Abelas was telling us. The collective will of the priests puts anyone who drinks under a compulsion, a geas. Can’t you feel it? Morrigan: That… would match the legends, but it does not tell us what the geas entails. I would still use the Well, but you are right. We must be cautious. [back to 18]

21 - General: Morrigan, the Well is yours. PC: It’s yours.

Morrigan enters the Well and submerges herself in it. A wave rolls over the area, and the PC runs up to Morrigan laying unconscious in the empty basin.

PC: Morrigan? Are you all right?

Morrigan: Ellasin selah! Vissan… vissanalla…

Morrigan: I… I am intact. There is much to sift through… but now we can–

*Corypheus steps out of the temple and reaches out towards them., then begins to fly after them.

Corypheus: (Scream of rage.)

Morrigan: The eluvian!

PC: Through the mirror!

The eluvian activates, and the party rushes through, and a figure rises from the empty Well, following them. As it enters the eluvian, it deactivates and Corypheus runs into the glass. The party stumbles out of the mirror and into the storeroom back in Skyhold. Morrigan deactivates the eluvian once the PC comes through.

Morrigan: It is done.

Scene ends.

22 - General: I’ll use the Well myself. PC: If anyone is to use the Well, it will be me. Morrigan: So you will take what little knowledge you can understand, and let the rest go to waste?

Dialogue options:

General: We still need you. [23]

General: It won’t go to waste. [24]

General: The Inquisition needs this. [25]

23 - General: We still need you. PC: The Inquisition needs you. Corypheus still endangers us all. [26] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 24 - General: It won’t go to waste. PC: And who’s to say it will go to waste? Morrigan: I do. [26] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 25 - General: The Inquisition needs this. PC: This knowledge stays with the Inquisition. [26]

26 - Scene continues.

Morrigan (the PC did not warn about the Well’s geas): I am forever balked by those who believe they know better than I. Drink if you will, for the sake of us all. But steel your will to do it. Morrigan: (the PC warned about the Well’s geas) Perhaps it is better this way. Do as you will with the Well of Sorrows, Inquisitor. But be careful.

The PC wades into the Well. They lift some of the water to their lips and there is a burst of light.

PC: (Cry of pain.)

The PC looks around, standing in a void of darkness with a circling haze.

Voice: Garas quenathra?

PC: “Why am I here?” Corypheus… a magister wishes to rip the Veil open. I must learn how to stop him.

Voice: (Unintelligible whispers.)

Dialogue options:

General: Your aid is worth any price. PC: If you can help me vanquish Corypheus, take whatever price you wish. ㅤㅤ ㅤ

General: Is that a yes or a no? PC: I can’t understand what you’re–look! Will you help me or not? ㅤㅤ ㅤ

General: Answer me! PC: You will give me what I demand!

Voice: Vir mythal’enaste.

A sigil appears on the PC face, and everything goes dark.

Party comments:

Cassandra: Is it over? [Are they] coming around? I knew this would happen.

Cassandra (romanced): Maker, please. Don’t let it end this way.

Sera: Wake up from your good decision, stupid!

Sera (romanced): [Honey Tongue/Buckles/’Teetness/Shiny/Tadwinks/Inky]? If you’re dead, I’ll kill you!

Blackwall: I knew no good would come of this!

Blackwall (romanced): My lady? Oh, Maker, let her keep breathing…

Dorian: There! Our intrepid leader’s coming round.

Dorian (romanced): Festis bei umo canavarum. If you don’t come through this, I swear I’ll kill you.

Solas: There. Our Inquisitor’s waking up.

Solas (romanced): Inquisitor? Inquisitor!

Iron Bull (romanced): Hey, how’d that work out for you, kadan? You feeling good?

Varric: Breathing. That’s good! Let’s keep that up.

Vivienne: Inquisitor? Can you hear me?

The party approaches the PC as they they are jolted back into the Well, where they are laying in the empty basin. They stand, unsteady and waving away help.

Party comments:

Solas: How… do you feel?

Blackwall: How do you feel?

Dorian: Not dead! Well, that’s a relief. So… good? Bad? I’m dying to know.

Sera: So, you’ve got a head full of damp whatever. How’s that feel?

Iron Bull: That looked rough. How do you feel?

Cassandra: Inquisitor? How do you feel?

Vivienne: Warn us before you do that again, my dear. How do you feel?

Corypheus steps out of the temple and reaches out towards them., then begins to fly after them.

Corypheus: (Scream of rage.)

Morrigan: The eluvian!

PC: Through the mirror!

The eluvian activates, and the party rushes through, and a figure rises from the empty Well, following them. As it enters the eluvian, it deactivates and Corypheus runs into the glass. The party stumbles out of the mirror and into the storeroom back in Skyhold. Morrigan deactivates the eluvian once the PC comes through.

Morrigan: It is done.

Next: His Next Move - Morrigan Drank Next: His Next Move - Inquisitor Drank

[cookies-over-yonder]

writing patterns tag game

thank you @officialgleamstar for tagging me mwah

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

Cassandra is good at bowling. [spare, strike, strip]

2. Scary wakes up to something burning on her chest. [dadbandonment]

3. Scary had noticed Taylor being less chatty lately, but she tried not to think much of it since sometimes she’s not one for talking either, but now it’s just downright concerning. [the taylor support crew]

4. “Hey, Taylor?” Link asks, looking up from his sketchbook and kicking his legs back and forth in the air. [hatching eggs]

5. After a well-needed anime binge-watching sesh with Taylor at the Swift household, Nicky says his goodbyes, and prepares to return to Hell by opening a portal— [like father, like son]

6. Taylor wakes up to see Link curled up in a ball across from him on the floor of the cat bus, with his knees drawn to his chest and his head buried in them. [protecting the paladin]

7. “Okay, who’s going first?” [giddy when i'm with you]

8. The teens are watching a movie together at Link’s place, silent save for a few small jokes (everyone is exhausted), when Taylor doubles over with a whine, holding his head. [it's not mutual pining, it's marriage]

9. “So, the big one-eight, huh?” [stab wounds]

10. “I’m a little more used to these things now,” Taylor says, stepping inside the elevator with Link. [did it hurt?]

umbbbbb i guess i start with dialogue a lot or a single sentence that gets to the main plot of the fic right away. i'm not one for a lot of flowery description tbh !!! love reading it but can't write it hahaha

i'm gonna tag uhhhh @kaseyskat ^_^ no pressure obv!!!

[starspatter]

Heroes and Thieves, Ch. 20

Title: Heroes and Thieves Fandom/Universe: BTAS, pre/post-RotJ flashback

Summary: A story about second chances, healing, and having hope.

Rating: PG-13, for references to character death, child psychological torture and trauma.

Genre: Romance/Family/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 4,019 Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Also on ff.net and AO3.

Well my head is dead and my mind is fed up of all this stupid time That has dropped off the clock and I've avoided the knock From the monster that's been running my life He's ugly as hell and well, his heart is broken His eyes tell a tale with words unspoken He dreams of a day when he can honestly say he's alright

-This Love, “Free”

————————–

Then.

“What do you mean you guys haven’t kissed yet?”

The end of December was drawing near, and they had just finished with first semester finals.  The four of them trekked through fresh snow back to the dorms, Steph and Cass taking the lead while Conner and Tim tailed behind, the latter lingering a distance so as not to let the girls overhear their conversation.  Tim watched as the blonde in front of him stretched her arms to the air, blissfully exclaiming: “Ahh freedom at last~” before anxiously asking her friend what she got on one of the more difficult Physics questions.

“It just… hasn’t really come up…  We’ve been studying so much since then, there’s never been a good time…”

Conner shook his head.

“Dude, that’s no excuse.  You gotta keep her satisfied if you plan to hold onto her past holiday break. Sometimes you just gotta go for these things, man.”  He paused, clapping a hand on his companion’s shoulder as he suggestively leaned in closer.  “Listen, Christmas is coming; that means mistletoe season.  It’s a prime opportunity.  If you want, I can totally set something up for you two…”

“I don’t need your assistance.”

Although Tim scoffed at his roomie’s waggling eyebrows, the worry of not measuring up to expectations had been weighing substantially on him over the past few weeks.  Dick kept trying to push him to be more assertive as well, and had even insisted on lending him a collection of certain kinds of “magazines” as “reference material”…

“Hey, what are you boys whispering about back there?”

Stephanie had swiveled around and approached the pair, suspicious of Conner’s smirk and Tim’s evidently embarrassed expression.

“You wouldn’t be bullying my boyfriend, now would you?”

She wrapped herself protectively – possessively – around Tim, who bloomed an intense shade of pink at suddenly finding himself being fought over.

“Me?  A bully?  Wherever would you get that idea?”

Conner whistled innocently, while Cassandra observed the three in silence.  Tim shot her a pleading look to get him out of this predicament, thinking “free me” as hard as he could, but she simply smiled slightly.  Damnit, was she actually amused by his humiliation?

“Tim, don’t listen to what that mean ol’ brute says.”  Steph squished her mortified prize tightly, magnifying his discomfiture further as she stuck her tongue out at her opponent, who huffed in indignation.

“Please, if I were actually a bully, I’d do something like this.”

Without warning, he stooped to scoop up a clump of crystal flakes, flinging the freezing projectile at Stephanie, who screeched and released in order to defend herself.

“Why you-”

She laughed like a shriek as she shivered and shook the ice shavings out of her mane, crouching to collect ammo herself.  Packing heat – or rather coldness in this case – as she launched a quick counterattack. They began pelting each other gleefully with polar pellets, while Tim spectated uncertainly, wavering whether to break the battle up…  Until a wayward missile errantly missed its mark, instead splatting straight onto his face.

“…Ah.”

The combatants immobilized, glancing in nervous remorse at the unintended casualty, who stood there in complete shock for a moment.  Stephanie instantly flashed back to the water gun incident, and gulped apprehensively, afraid they might’ve made another mistake.  (At least she wasn’t entirely the one to blame this time.)

As before, Tim wordlessly wiped the wetness dripping down his cheek – before calmly bending down and gathering a lump to lob right back at his assailant.  Conner yelped as the unanticipated retaliation caught him by surprise, while Steph burst into an excited beam.

“Boo-yah!  Tim’s on my team!”

She eagerly declared as she aided her partner in an aggressive revenge, ruthlessly ganging up on their target as he raised his hands in a desperate attempt to shield himself.

“Hey, no fair!  Cass, help me!”

Fair?  They were up against a superhuman and a psychic, Tim privately thought to himself.  Although to be fair, Cassandra denied the other’s turn to beg for mercy, merely casting a lolling glimpse that quite plainly said: “You brought this on yourself, mister.  Now deal with the consequences.”  …As she simply sidestepped any stray shrapnel without choosing sides.

As they clobbered each other with clods of frost, people stopped and gawked at the infamous group of so-called “freaks” playing enthusiastically like little kids in the courtyard, but none of said shunned subjects even cared, too engrossed in their game to pay patronizing passersby any heed.  Tim could sense his self-consciousness slipping away as he pitched and dodged, slipping back into old practiced habits of evading punches and bullets.  The exhilaration he felt now was perhaps even more fulfilling though, without real risk of legitimate danger to his life or others’.  …When he witnessed Steph was right in the path of a sizeable snowball’s trajectory though, he dove on instinct, tackling directly to the ground.

He blinked as they abruptly found their features so very near to each other, flushed and respiring heavily from combined adrenaline and chill.  Rapidly beating hearts and heat of their bodies connecting through thick sugarcoated layers.  He could distinguish individual flecks of powder from the fluffy pile they had landed on dusting her long lashes as they fluttered up at her “hero”, feathery and fair. Complexion as rosy as her lips, waiting with bated breath.  Tim swallowed, before hastily rolling off.

“S- sorry.”

Stephanie sighed at the release of pressure, flopping back in familiar disappointment.  She soon started giggling though, and before long Tim joined her as they took a timeout to just lie there laughing for a minute. …And maybe after a while he’s laughing a little too loud and too long, but by God it felt good to let his happiness out uninhibited like this, after so many years of holding himself back.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had this much fun.

As soon as the chuckles subsided and they sat up though, Stephanie was startled by a sudden smack to her temple.  At first they both assumed it was a signal of resuming the bout, but for some reason the assault seemed a lot harsher and more painful than before.

“Ow!”

She cringed on contact. Tim’s pupils widened when he saw scarlet seeping down her forehead, staining the rich white beneath them. …Where a rock jutted out from the bank.

“Steph, you’re – you’re bleeding…”

She touched a finger to her brow in disbelief, stunned to discover drops of crimson come off on her tip. Tim spun around towards Conner, who immediately denied any involvement, shaking his head in equal horror.

“Tim, I swear to God, bud, it wasn’t me.”

Tim swerved and glared angrily at their surroundings, as every member in the audience awkwardly averted their gaze.  He grabbed the stone and stood up, grip so severe it stabbed into his own flesh.

“Who the fuck threw that?!”

He shouted at a volume high enough for the entire yard to hear, likely disturbing some of the classes where students were still testing as well.  He didn’t give a shit about that though, seething to the core.  Doubt darted in every whispering, snickering direction, until his vision landed on their other comrade, who remained oddly mute even in this situation.  His perception narrowed.  She didn’t look guilty per se (and he refused to believe she would ever dare renege on her pledge to never do anything to harm Steph), but something about her shifty, shrinking appearance told him she was definitely hiding something.

“…You know who did it, don’t you?  You can tell.”

Cassandra bit her lip, declining to answer.  Tim stalked towards her, seizing her shoulders roughly as he demanded a response.

“Tell me who it was – right now.”

“I…”

She winced at the strength of his clutch, cowering under his looming fury. Conner’s own lion rage awakened as he lunged forth to fasten around Tim’s wrist like a vice, violently pulling him away with a far greater force.

“Oi, get away from her!”  He barked as he twisted Tim around, locking both limbs in a firm hold.  “You need to cool it.”

Tim’s view darkened with a grim pall, as he lowered to avoid meeting the larger male’s lecturing look.

“Let go of me, Conner.”

He growled, glowering defiantly.

“And what’ll you do if I release you?  Supposing you do find out the culprit?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”  Tim’s irises flared dangerously.  “I’ll beat ‘em to a bloody pulp.”

“And then what?  Get your ass suspended again?  Kicked out? Lose your scholarship?”  Conner hissed in a cruel, but concerned tone. “Stop and think for a damn second, will you?”

Tim scowled, but eventually his fist uncoiled.  Conner loosened a little, relaxing as Tim’s appendage obediently descended.  Stephanie spoke up softly.

“It’s all right, guys.  I’m okay, really…”

There was liquid leaking through her cupped palm though, and Tim bristled again, but Conner clamped him down, resolutely shaking his head.

“Let it go, Tim.  Let’s just get her to the infirmary.”

Conner offered his hand to help her up, while Tim looked on uselessly. He eluded Steph’s perspective as he stuffed his own empty paws into his pockets.

“You guys go on ahead,” he muttered.  “I’m gonna… go cool off.”

“Tim?  Wait, where are you going?”

Stephanie strove to stop him, struggling against Conner’s support, but Tim had already taken off, escaping towards the dormitories.  When he reached his room, he slumped against the entry, sinking to the floor with his own cranium cradled in his hands.  Reflecting back on his confrontation with Cassandra, for even though she hadn’t acknowledged anything aloud, he could still hear the reluctant reply resounding inside his brain:

…They had been aiming for you.

“Goddamnit!”

He revolved and pounded his knuckles into the wall, not caring if he caused any damage to either it or himself.  Another voice murmured mildly beside his ear, smooth and satiated by the display of outright hostility.  Insanity.  Delightedly feeding on such delicious despair and self-loathing.

Now you see what happens when you get close to others?  Let this be a lesson to you, JJ.  Don’t you get it?  You’re a blight, diseased.  A dirty, perverted curse that contaminates, taints every single thing you touch – nothing but a burden, who brings suffering to everyone around you.  A monster just like me.

“Get.  Out.  Of. My.  Head.”

Tim screamed as he slammed his skull against the partition to try and get it to shut up, and when that didn’t work, he hurled himself onto the bed, trying to cover his crown with the pillow. Of course it didn’t succeed in suppressing the scalding speech either though, slowly consuming, corroding his corrupted soul from the inside out.

You’re toxic.  Don’t forget that.  Your existence is poison – pure and simple.  I’m the only one who can withstand it.  You don’t need them.  Nor do you belong with them.  Come back to me, my darling.  Daddy will make it all better, I promise…

“Leave.  Me.  ALONE!”

Tim yelled at the top of his lungs as he chucked the cushion at his hallucination, who only hovered out of the way and cackled.  The boy buried his visage into the sheets, smothering his polluted presence, shoulders shuddering as he began to laugh like crazy again – until he cried.

…

Some time later, he heard a knock on the door as it creaked open cautiously. He didn’t elevate to look, but he knew Conner was standing there, taking in the pathetic sight of his flatmate flat on the mattress.

“Yo.”

He entered, closing the access behind him as he crossed over and sat down gently next to Tim.  After an uncomfortable gap, he cleared his throat.

“Cass reported the one who did it to the dean.  They won’t be coming back after break.  …She told me what happened.  It’s not your fault, man.”

“The hell it isn’t.”

Tim spat as he flipped over, sleeve still shrouding his inflamed eyes. At length he removed a fraction of fabric though to peek at the other boy’s back, inquiring fretfully:

“…How is she?”

“They’re treating her at the nurse’s office.  It’s not as bad as it looks.  She’ll be fine,” Conner reassured.  “She kept asking after you though.  She’s worried about you, bro.  …We all are.”

Tim said nothing, scrutinizing the ceiling.

“She wants to see you.”

“I don’t… deserve to see her.”  Tim choked, eyes welling up again.  “How can I face her like this?”

Conner’s countenance soured as he started to lose patience, resorting to somewhat stricter tactics in an effort to snap him out of it.

“Stop being a selfish prick. This isn’t about you.  It’s about what she needs.  And right now she needs you.  So stop feeling fucking sorry for yourself, get the fuck up, and go see your goddamn girlfriend before I fucking kick your ass.”

He snatched Tim’s collar as he said this, in order to prove he would make good on the threat if necessary, hoisting the sagging sad sack up and half-heaving him towards the exit.

“I’ll help you get started on packing, so go.  And don’t come back until you’ve apologized for leaving her alone.”

With that, he swung the doorway shut, bolting it determinedly behind Tim, who stood there dumbfounded in the hall as curious onlookers halted their own parting proceedings to goggle at him, gossiping in a susurrant hush.  Shuffling sheepishly, he complied to abide by the directive for now, advancing in the direction of the health center (recalling its location from when he himself had to be carried there following his “fainting spell”).

When he arrived at the entrance, he waffled for a long while, inhaling deeply before finally rotating the handle.  The clinical smell that greeted him made his stomach sick at first, but he shoved revulsion down and quietly asked the receptionist on staff as to the whereabouts of the patient he was seeking.  She smiled and pointed him towards a curtain in the rear.  Upon lifting it back, he encountered Stephanie propped up on a cot, dome swathed in bandages in a manner that rather resembled his own injured image shortly after they first “met”.  She relieved visibly upon recognizing the visitor.

“Tim!  Thank God you’re here.  I was beginning to get bored out of my friggin’ mind.  Can you believe they’re making me stay in a bed while they run some tests?  It’s just a tiny cut, c’mon.  Plus it’s the last day of school before winter vacation.  We should be out celebrating right now.”

She bounced restlessly on the bedding, as Tim absorbed the ruby dye soaking through her dressing.  He clenched his fist in crushing shame and repentance.

“I think… maybe we should stop seeing each other.”

She stiffened sharply, fixing him with a flabbergasted gape.

“…What?  Just now, that was… a joke, right?  You’re not serious?”

He regarded her with a grave grimace.  Confusion and dejection distressed her chest at such curt rejection.

“Tim Drake, are you actually breaking up with me?”

“Yes.  Let’s break up.”

There was zero emotion in his tenor, as her own lips quivered, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

“But…  But why?”

Tim exhaled as he spouted was probably the most cliché line in the history of bad breakups, but he didn’t really care about circumventing social pitfalls right now.

“It’s not you, it’s me.  I mean it. Nothing… good can come of being with me. I’ll only end up dragging you down.”

“Tim, don’t say that…”

“You got hurt because of me.  Besides, I… can’t do anything to make you happy.  Believe me, you’d be a whole lot better off without me in your life.”

“Tim…”

She tried to extend towards his hand, but he backed away.

“I’m sorry.”

He turned and fled before she could react, leaving her bewildered and brokenhearted beyond belief.  His own breast ached as it felt like something within him had shattered – shred into pieces once again.  Whatever light had been reignited was now eclipsed, extinguished by his own hand.  He should have known better, never tried to chase it in the first place.  Having been burned once before, only an utter fool would run right back into the flames.

…This is for the best.

For both of them.

…

It didn’t take long for Tim to realize he couldn’t well return to the residence hall without invoking his roommate’s wrath, so he was stuck outside for the time being.  Wandering back to the quad, he massaged his mitts together and blew out a puff of condensation, briefly wishing he still had some actual smokes on him right now.

Parking himself beneath the shadow of a barren tree, he idly surveyed the scene of classmates bidding goodbye before heading home for the holidays.  Some were being picked up by their parents, and his intestines constricted a tad more as the swarm of “normies” joyfully received their relatives whom they hadn’t seen in so long with hugs and ecstatic chatter.  He felt filthy – a black and ugly beetle, insignificant insect – petty and out of place compared to these bright, carefree families.  So Hallmark picture-perfect against a pristine postcard background, shining silver and gold.

Acquiring a fallen branch, he started to scratch absently at the slush, doodling a nostalgic depiction in the dirt.  Gradually, the symbol of a bat took shape – and beside it, a crude carving of two beings in capes – one big, one small.  He stared sullenly at the sketch for a minute, before striking the stick simultaneously through both stick figures’ axes in an “X”.

“Tim?”

He jumped, and hurriedly scraped over the rest of the illustration with his heel as he whirled around to face his… well, he supposed “ex” would indeed be the proper term to describe her now.

“Steph?  What are you doing here?”

“I managed to convince them to let me go.  Wanted to catch you before you left at least.”

She fumbled with a parcel in her hands.

“I know it’s kinda early, but… I wanted to give you your Christmas present. Didn’t want it to just go to waste, after I worked so hard on it and all.”

She fished inside the bag, and retrieved a folded red scarf.  It looked a little lumpy and misshapen, clearly clumsily homemade rather than a commercial product.

“Mom’s been teaching me how to knit.  It’s my first time making one, so it’s not very good, but I hope you’ll still wear it, and… think of me sometimes.  I guess now you could consider it something to remember me by?”

Tim remained reticent as she unraveled the muffler and draped it around his nape, tucking it tenderly so it was snug.  She reviewed her handiwork, nodding in admiring approval.

“As I thought.  You look good in red.”

Tim tugged the textile, fingering each fiber that was filled with such fondness – feeling his own thawing heartstrings being tugged at – torn.

“Why… would you go to all this trouble – for someone like me?”

She smiled.

“Isn’t it obvious?  It’s because I love you.”

…

“Eh?”

It took a bit for the statement to sink in, and the cloth’s color seemed to creep up his mug as the significance of the confession belatedly registered. She took his trembling skin in hers, keeping it cozy as his now cherished neck was.

“Plus I wanted to pay you back for letting me borrow your jacket,” she half-kidded, concealing her own blush behind blithe humor.

He shook his head.

“This is… too good for me.  You’re too good for me.  You shouldn’t have wasted your time…”

“Tim, how many times do I have to tell you?”  She squeezed his palm, praying he’d actually listen to – believe her for once.  Believe in himself. “You’re so much better than you think you are.  You’re kind, sweet, and caring – you’re not like any other guy I’ve dated before.  I like you for you, no matter what you or anyone else says.  If other people can’t see that, then to hell with all of them.”

He held her resolve for a long interval, before shyly expressing regret over his actions.

“Steph, I-”

She put a pointer to his lips before he could progress.

“Sh.  You’re forgiven.  Now let us never speak of splitting up over something minor like this again.”

Softening, she added:

“As for what I said before, you don’t need to answer me back right away. We don’t have to rush into anything if you’re not ready for it yet.  I’m happy so long as you’re happy.  As long as we’re together, that’s good enough for me.”

She boosted onto her boots’ toes to provide him an affectionate side-peck, sniggering as his cherry virtue exposed further at the gesture.  Yup, red really was his hue, it seemed.  …It suited him (more than he’d ever care – dare – to admit).

She started to separate, but he grasped back, bowing profoundly towards her as if to an angel.

“What… did I ever do to deserve you?”

He beseeched sincerely for a sign – that it was really okay for him to accept this much adoration from someone.

“Who knows,” she teased with a smug shrug, basking indulgently in flattering worship as she winked.  “Maybe it’s karma from a past life or something.”

Patting his hair like a puppy, she dotingly brushed off some sunken pearl beads from the strands – like a laurel of tinsel to match her own heavenly halo; planting another precious token on top in pardoned blessing – a starry seraph ornament – before bidding him rise.  As they strolled back to the quarters together, limbs still linked together in open broadcast of their bond, Steph piped up with another proposal.

“By the way, I wanted to ask you something else: I was wondering…  Do you want to come spend Christmas at my place? I already invited Cass to stay overnight on Christmas Eve, and Conner said he’d come too if you would.  Can you imagine it, both of them said they don’t have any plans this year, and that their folks were out of town.  I mean, what’s up with that?”  She shook her head.  “Christmas is supposed to be a time for people to spend together.  No one should have to be alone during the holidays.”

For the fleetest of seconds, an impression intruded on Tim’s conscience; of a solitary man holed up all by himself in a huge, vacant manor atop an isolated hill, hunched by the fireplace with a glass of brandy in hand, longing wistfully at his mother’s and father’s memorial portrait overlooking the mantle.  He urged it aside though, and smiled appreciatively at the offer.

“I’d love to.”  A nagging notion occurred however, as he agonized over accommodations on her behalf. “…Can your house really fit that many people though?”

She put on a persevering aura, pumping her fist.

“We’ll make it work somehow.  Worst comes to worst, we’ll just have to share some beds.”

He arrested in alarm at what she just said, as the implications dawned on both of them.  Steph swiftly endeavored to clarify, flailing and failing miserably.

“Uh, I mean, Cass and I can share a bed, of course!  I wasn’t insinuating anything else by it…”

The tables had reversed now as Tim snorted at her chagrin, and she grinned as well, goading his arm.  Clinging around it, she nuzzled up intimately against his shoulder, both marveling at the broad sky as it started to shed sparkling glitter again.  Safely cocooned by both her company and the gift she had granted him, there was no space left for someone else to come between; waking, walking nightmare to worm its way into his warmed spirit.

…And, for the first time in a long time, what he feels isn’t fear anymore – at allowing a new stranger into his narrowly confined world once again.  Chip through frigid barriers and sculpture’s solid shell in order to stir up the dormant globe – revive its stalled clock, frozen in stasis for so long.  Finally melting an age of presumed permafrost; nudging, encouraging cold feet to steadily begin moving forward again.

…

It’s hope.

————————–

Well keep it in mind I'm not as stable or able To use all my guts and turn over the tables Or open the door and stare the monster between the eyes But the times have turned and burned a hole in this heart Confronted the face of what tore my life apart And I'll start by living every moment like it was my last

[hannahhook7744]

Hannah Hook info;

Summary; This is a bunch of info about my descendants original character, Hannah Hook.

🏴‍☠️🦴⚓⚔🏴‍☠️🦴⚓⚔🏴‍☠️🦴⚓⚔🏴‍☠️🦴⚓⚔🏴‍☠️🦴

1. what is their name? and how does this fit their character?

Her name is Hannah . Hannah means "favor/grace". It fits her character because she often finds that things are in her favor. And she's also very graceful when it comes to sword-fighting, sailing, and doing damage control.

2. last name?

Her widely known last is Hook. Her actual last name that even she doesn't know is Villa Princeps-Gothel-Hook.

3. do they have a middle name?

Yes. Yes, she does. It's Artemis. For obvious reasons.

4. name a song that describes them?

lightning by alex goot.

5. do they like someone romantically?

Yep. She's into Haul Bjorgman romantically, but doesn't know it.

6. list five words to describe them.

Loyal, creative, playful, protective, and hardworking.

7. what is their motivation?

Hannah's motivation is to save the kids of the isle while also not putting the innocents in Auardon in danger and to help those who need it.

8. colour that describes their personality.

Yellow. Yellow is the emotional color. It represents creativity, friendliness, optimism, and confidence. Incorporate yellow when you want to stimulate positivity, creativity and happiness.

9. Do they consider themselves a good person?

No. She doesn't. Because good people are rare on the isle and she's done lots of bad things-- like stealing, playing with fire, fighting, cruel pranks to jerks on the isle, etc. Even when she leaves the isle, she doesn't consider herself a good person. She feels gulity for leaving her family and crew behind. She feels gulity when she has to hurt them to protect Ben later on. She never sees herself as a good person. Even if others would consider her one.

10. MBTI type?

ENFP.

11. character they're based on?

They're based on a mix of characters. Gwaine, Merlin, Lancelot. Jade from Victorious. The sea 3, Cassandra, Varian, and Killian Jones.

12. Person they would bring down whilst dying?

Beast. Beast without a doubt. Okay, him or Leah. She'd die happily if they went with her.

13. person they would kill if they had the chance?

Frollo, Gothel, or Gaston.

14. character they would get along with if they were in the same universe?

Gwaine from Merlin and Killian Jones from ouat.

15. Character they would hate if they were in the same universe

Regina George and Greg Heffley.

16. artist they would listen to?

Melanie Martinez, Eminem, Taylor swift, and Bruno Mars.

17. artist they would hate?

Any artist who's songs have no lyrics.

18. give them a theme song?

She's a rebel.

19. assign them an aesthetic?

Witch. Pirate. Explorer. Dreamer. Writer. A mix of all of these.

20. what are their strengths?

Writing, sword fighting, story telling, dreaming, diplomatic, etc.

21. what about fatal weaknesses?

Clumsy, tempermantic, forgetful, stubborn, overprotective, has a short attention span, paranoid, etc.

22. the one person who can convince them to do something they're stubbornly against?

Haul Bjorgman. Her crush.

23. who would they kill for?

Her friends and family.

24. what tropes do they fall into?

The protagonist, the diplomat, the dreamer, the antihero, the leader, the wild card, and the chamelon.

25. book they would definitely read?

Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar children and a light in the attic.

26. language besides their mother tongue they would (have) learned?

Latin and Greek.

27.are they (would they be) a book or movie person?

They like both but they're more of a book person because movies take too long and she can't stay focused on them for long. She can finish a book in a day if she likes enough but sit her infront of a TV and expect her to focus on it alone for an hour? It's basically torture for her.

28. most obscure thing they HATE?

Strong smells.

29. while we're there, biggest phobia?

Spiders, betrayal, and losing everything she loves.

30. thing that makes them go weak at the knees?

Food. Haul.

31. murder accomplice?

Luke and Skia.

32. what is this character's purpose to the plot?

Her purpose to the plot is to stop things from going too far. To help and make the characters better people.

33. street smarts or brain smarts?

Bit of both.

34. can they swim?

Yes but she's not a very strong swimmer.

35. old or new soul?

Old soul.

36. assign them a smell they like?

Chicken.

37. assign them a smell?

Hannah smells of many things. The sea. Ink. Paint. Rain. Sausage, cake, and chicken. Pineapple. Strawberry and watermelon shampoo.

38. what is their age?

12 years old.

39. Birth sign / zodiac?

Sagittarius.

[arabian-batboy]

hi, I was wondering do you have your own idea of the Batfamily's timeline and their ages? I would love to hear your version of it

Thanks and yes, I do actually.

Now ages of characters in comics are impossible to calculate, because so many events/stories are supposed to happen in a short period of time and because their ages are not consistent through the years or to other characters (Ex: Tim was 17 when Damian was 10, yet DC magically aged Damian up to 13 out of no where while still keeping Tim 17?) so there’s no right answer to this.

With that being said, here is my own interpretation of the Batfamily’s time-line.

(PS: I take the character’s birthday into account in this, so their age can fluctuate by 1 year depending on the time of the year. For example, if the age difference between Dick and Barbara is 3 years then it’s because the event happened before Dick’s birthday, but if it was 2 years then it happened after Dick’s birthday and etc...) 

Bruce becomes Batman at 25.

He spends almost 2 years working alone until he meets 9 year old Dick in Haly's Circus after his parents death.

He adopt him and train him to become the first Robin by the time they are 27yo and 10yo old (of course for the first few years working together, he only brings him to missions that he doesn’t think are too dangerous)

Three years go by and most of Gotham Rogues have been formed. Meanwhile, 16 years old Barbara has become Batgirl to help fight them alongside 30yo Batman and 13yo Robin (who is starting to get a puppy crush on her)

Another 3 years go by and 16yo Dick leads the first ever batch of Teen Titans. (Bruce is 33yo and Barbara is 19yo)

However, two and a half year later Dick officially quits being Robin at 18yo to become Nightwing a few months later at 19yo.

During these months, 35yo Bruce meets 12yo Jason while he was stealing the tires of the Batmobile, naturally, he adopt him and make him the 2nd Robin because why wouldn’t you do that. (Babs is 21yo and chilling)

During his first year of being Robin, Jason learns a lot about all the people in Bruce’s/Batman’s life, including meeting his on-again/off-again lover 22yo Talia al Ghul whom he gets married to for half a year before she sadly suffers a “miscarriage” that results in them calling off their marriage.

Another 3 years pass, 22yo Dick is currently engaged to Starfire (which doesn’t last long), 25yo Barbara is thinking of retiring early and 39yo Bruce is having a difficult time working with 15yo Jason after he learned that Catherine Todd is not his biological mother. One thing leads to the other and Jason is sadly killed by the Joker after his real biological mother sets him up.

There was basically no time to mourn because in the same exact year that he killed Jason, The Joker shoots Barbara and paralyze her from the waist down.

These two horrific events that happened back to back take a toll on Batman, he became unstable and dangerous even to himself, until 13yo Tim Drake steps in and becomes the 3rd Robin to take 40yo Bruce from the darkness. (Dick is 23yo here, Barbara is 25 and officially Oracle)

Tim spends two years as Robin before he (at 15yo) meets Spoilers, AKA Stephanie Brown, who is almost one year older than him and they start dating.

 Shortly after, 42yo Bruce adopts 17yo Cassandra to the family where she becomes the 2nd Batgirl (Dick is 25yo and still Nightwing, Barbara is 27 and is still Oracle)

Two years later, 19yo Jason returns to Gotham City as Red Hood. Not only that, but a few months later Talia reveals that she actually lied about the miscarriage in order to protect Bruce from putting himself in danger, so she drops Damian on his 10th birthday at the Batcave and Bruce re-gains two sons that he thought were dead in the same year.

After that, 44yo Bruce “dies” and leave Gotham City to 27yo Dick who is the new Batman with 10yo Damian as his Robin and 29yo Barbara as their Oracle. Meanwhile 17yo Tim has became Red Robin and went on to search for clues about Bruce being alive. At the same time, 18yo Stephanie takes the Batgirl role after 20yo Cassandra decided (for some reason, just roll with it) to become Black-Bat.

20yo Jason is just doing his own thing solo while all of that was happening.

This set-up only last less than a year before Bruce returns form being trapped in time (AKA being dead) and things change in the family once again.

Bruce is back to being Batman with Damian as his new Robin (even though they barely work together), he also gives 16yo Duke the role of The Signal and welcome him to the family. Dick is still Nightwing (after spending some time as a spy in Spyral) and Jason is still Red Hood. Barbara on the other hand has her paralysis “cured” by ableist writers/editors by doctors and she goes back and forth between being Oracle and being Batgirl (I hated writing that, but this is supposed to be a timeline of canon, not fanon, so I had to include it) which in turn makes Stephanie be Spoiler again with Cassandra back to being Batgirl/Orphan. Oh right, Tim is also there having an identity crisis about whether he wants to be Red Robin, Robin, Drake or some other identity (it really depends on DC’s mood smh)

So that takes us to present time where Bruce is 46yo, Barbara is 32yo, Dick is 29yo, Jason/Cassandra are 22yo, Tim/Stephanie are both 20yo, Duke is 17yo and Damian is 12yo.

[codenamebooks]

10 Books I Hope to Read in 2021

This isn’t in any particular order, just books that I hope and plan to read this year. I’m really inspired by my reading year in 2020 which was the best in a long time I truly believe––may academics allow––that I can carry that into the new year. I set my Goodreads goal to 24 books and here are 10 I hope get included:

1. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

This is the first ever book that I’ve preordered, so this is an important mention! I fell in love with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series last year (my #1 books of 2020) so  I plan to keep up with it. All of the characters are my little babies that I want to protect. Their relationships are so sweet and they make me laugh and cry and make me happiness and fearful and hopeful. The fae world is also amazing with a great plot that got super political and action packed in book 3 and I hope to see some of that in this 5th book.

2. Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

I’m also really big on wanting to continue series that I started in 2020 (especially finished series like this) so I don’t have to keep rereading the first books. Really all this requires is buying them. The Darkest Minds was fun and adventurous with some of the cutest friendships I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to see how this turns politically and how it grows to Ruby vs. Clancy. This could get really intense and I’m ready for it, even if I’m stressed that I’ll end up crying.

3. Angela Davis

This is general want since I plan to get more into nonfiction and educational reading this year. I liked my read of The New Jim Crow and I feel like Angela Davis could give me a similar feel to fulfill my want for personal education. My current read is When They Call You a Terrorist and Angela writes a foreword in my edition––so I’m assuming if I like WTCYAT, I’ll also like Angela. Even if I only end up getting to her podcasts that would be fine because I’d just like to learn.

4. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Just because I found the first book so entertaining and fast moving, I’m going to continue with this series. Plus the fact that I have every The Mortal Instruments book. It’s a pretty large world that I can’t just give up on so soon. Possibly just to get on the hype train, I’m going to try my hardest to dig into this series. There are a few things, I’m unsure if they will arise in this book or not, that I know will make me feel... weird––thanks to spoilers from 7 years ago when I thought I’d never read this series––but I’m ready.

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I recently bought this at Half Price Books and I had no idea what I wanted to get until I saw this. For most of early high school, Maggie was my favorite author because I adored her Shiver series and loved the first two books in The Raven Cycle and recently enjoyed All the Crooked Saints. I hope to read all of her books someday and own them all. I had never liked magical realism so much until reading her and it’s now a theme in books that draw me in.

6. Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

My current read is the first novel in this series and although I’m not sure if it’s worth it to continue the series, I think I will. My sister got me the first 4 books in a boxed set 5 or 6 years ago and I’m only touching them now. This could be a mistake because I’m much more mature of a reader than this is aimed at. I would hate to not read them though since it took me so long to read them, that’s not the books’ fault. I also think they could be good buffer reads as just a trashy, fun novel about high school vampires for when I’m busy.

7. Stand Off by Andrew Smith

This is a long awaited one! Winger, the first book in this duology, tore me apart! I keep forgetting that it’s one of the books that have made me genuinely cry over the years and it was my favorite novel of 2017 and I finished it on New Year’s Eve. I loved the style of writing and the characters were funny and lovable and the setting new to me at the time that everything was intriguing. I plan to reread Winger so that I remember everything that happens even though I know that I’ll be utterly heartbroken at the end but that is okay! I want to see how life turns out for our main character, whose name I don’t even remember!

8. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I bought this one from B&N a few days ago and I’m super excited because I loved the ACOTAR series by SJM. I know that everyone who is a fan of her writing really adores this series as well and I’m ready to adore it too. It helps a lot that the series is completed because then I can soar through it without stopping. Surprisingly, I think I’ve managed to avoid spoilers from this series. I’m ready to throw myself in the characters and a new fantasy world by the SJM, who has risen to the top of my favorite authors list.

9. It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Since only one other book on here so far is YA contemporary fiction, I thought it’d be perfect to include another one. This is a sequel I don’t yet have on my shelf but one I plan to buy. I loved Jenny Han in high school after reading TATBILB, which is my favorite trilogy ever and I had fun with the first book to the Summer series. Picking up Jenny Han again would hopefully revert me back to a time when reading was purely fun and I didn’t get upset if I didn’t meet my page goal for the day. I also haven’t read much contemporary (romance) since I started reading again over the summer even though it has historically been my favorite genre.

10. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

This is one that I plan on getting from Book of the Month. I would have gotten it in what I believe was the December picks but I had no idea what it was about. If I had known it was a Jane Eyre retelling, I would’ve picked it up immediately! Jane Eyre is probably my favorite classic of all time after reading it in high school. It’s obviously a modern version but I’d love to see how such a classic story is updated and made new. It will also help me read more genres since I didn’t read a single mystery thriller in 2020.

[katherinewilliams221b]

For A Greater Good 14/18

not my gif just the text. Some Things Are Meant To Stay Hidden

Summary: Kate Williams, young healer and member of the Order, joins Durmstrang’s staff at Dumbledore’s request. Her mission? Find a   Death Eater and survive long enough to tell the story. Set in 1996.

Pairing: Charlie Weasley x ofc/mc

Masterlist

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]

[Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10]

[Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13]

-

5 months ago,

“You must stop at once.”

“Where is it, Karkarov?” The former headmaster looked around before returning to the conversation. 

“I don’t think you understand what you’re getting yourself into…”

“You dragged me into this ten years ago! Finish what you started.”

“I had the time to meditate about it, and now I implore you to do the same if you don’t want to end up dead.”

“He is looking for you, you know? And He’ll find you, eventually. You’re nothing but a coward. I bet the British Ministry of Magic would appreciate knowing where you are. It will take just one owl to inform my contact there.”

“Don’t try to pretend you haven’t sent someone to find me. You thought I would be so stupid to hide in the castle?”

“Tell me how to find Grindelwald’s room and you can slither back to your secret spot.”

“What do you expect to find there?”

“Something He might want.”

Karkarov scoffed.  

“What did he promise you? The resurrection stone, it’s not real. You won’t find it there and He doesn’t have it.” 

“They exist!” Agitated, the teacher approached Karkarov. “They exist and they are in that room.”

“You have no idea what you are doing.” Contemplating if he should give away his secret, he decided to put some fear in the teacher’s eyes. “Do you know how I left that abominable place they call Azkaban?”

“I know. You sang like a bird.”

“None of the names were useful to them… but perhaps the new ones will. If you behave, I won’t mention yours.”

The teacher grabbed Karkarov’s arm and exposed his mark.

“You don’t deserve this.”

“And you will never get it.”

Both of them drew out their wands as a warning.

“Who ‘s that?” Asked Karkarov.

The teacher turned and frowned at the image of Flavia Hodges leaving her classroom.

“You told me everyone was at the quidditch match.” Hodges turned and when she saw them, she was left frozen in place.

“Her sight is not her best ability but…”

“Take care of it.”

--

After helping Cassandra and Leron leave the classroom unseen, Kate wandered the corridors of the castle instead of going to prepare the activities for her class the following week.

Nor did she go to see Corentin, knowing that they had a project pending that they could not delay any longer.

She wanted to go home. She had had enough of the whole thing, and the possibility of not being able to return in a near future scared her. How much longer was the nightmare going to last?

A pair of eyes were on her, she sensed it, and tried to appear as unbothered as she could. The attempt at discovering who was watching her through legilimency failed, so she turned around to check her back. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just students coming and going.

As she turned to continue on her way, she came face to face with Kent Jorgensen, who only glanced at her before looking around.

“I’d like to talk to you. Not here. There are too many prying ears.”

Kate knew that Cassandra would tell Jorgensen that someone else knew the secret that they had managed to keep hidden, but she didn’t expect it to be so soon. She followed him to the front door, and they went outside. “A walk?”

“To the greenhouse.” The phrase came out as a command rather than the suggestion she had in mind.

“To the greenhouse, then.”

They walked silently the short way to Kate’s workplace and when she closed the door behind her, Jorgensen finally spoke.

“So you know.”

“Yes.” She put on some gloves to protect herself from the bite of the fanged geraniums and started placing the pots on the central table, side by side, unconsciously creating a barrier between the two. She grabbed a spray and casually started to take care of her plants.

“I think I owe you an apology.” Jorgensen commented, looking around. “You have made a very interesting place out of that old building. Where did you get the umbrella flowers?”

Kate stopped spraying the geraniums and looked him straight in the eye. “Why do you owe me an apology?” Jorgensen lowered his head.

“I misjudged you. I thought you were here for him. When... what are you doing?”

“Yesterday I gave them gumbumbles to eat. If I don’t clean their teeth, the treacle can wilt them.” While Jorgensen was talking Kate had opened a drawer and pulled out some forceps she put in the mouth of one of the geraniums so she could sprinkle a greyish substance inside.

“Leron is not conscious when he is under the influence of the Billywig. When I heard that Flavia had suffered these ‘accidents’ I thought... I was afraid for him.” Jorgensen frowned as he saw Kate put her hand into the geranium’s mouth.

“The tongue must also be cleaned,” she simply said. When she finished with that plant, she left her gadgets on the table. The time for evasion was over.

“I apologise to you too.” Jorgensen looked surprised. “I thought you were behind Flavia’s accidents.”

“And why would you think such a thing?”

“Well... you must admit that you didn’t look innocent when you talked about it.”

The professor put his hands behind his back, “So Rhode really didn’t bring you here to take him away?” Kate shook her head, hoping he would believe her.

“I’ve already told Steiner. Rhode doesn’t know anything, and if she finds out, it won’t be because of me.”

Kate continued her routine, taking care of each of the geraniums while Jorgensen eyed at her.

“He’s always been like that, you know? His wife’s death only made it worse.”

“Steiner told me you don’t want to send him to a hospital.”

“She doesn’t want to. I’ve been flirting with the idea since the day he hit Micael.” He paused, and Kate looked up as she sensed a deep sadness. “He’s my friend though, nobody knows him better than us.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“Losing the people you love is a heavy pain. As if a rock bigger than you were crushing your chest. It’s our responsibility to learn to get rid of the weight that keeps us from moving forward and go on our way with a little bit of dirt in our pockets, to remind us of what we have experienced.”

As Kate put the pots back and cleaned the soil off the table while taking glances at him. Jorgensen was left pensive for a moment and continued to speak, perhaps to himself, in a monologue he wished would help him clear his head.

“Leron took refuge in a familiar place, a dark place where he could neither see nor feel. A decision that is taking its toll on him.”

Kate sat down on one of the benches, the table still keeping the distance between them. Better that way, she thought, despite the situation with Jorgensen had taken quite a turn, she didn’t trust anyone in that school.

“Is there anything else you want to ask me?” He questioned.

“I know he’s meeting someone in the woods.” Jorgensen’s eyebrow shot to his hairline, “With whom?”

“With his supplier, of course. The Billywigs are not native to this area. That man is very elusive. Every day I fly over the forest to find him, but by the time I get down he’s gone. I have never managed to catch Leron with billywigs in his hand because he used to hide them here before entering the castle”.

Kate pondered this new information for a long time. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel if any of her friends were going through a similar situation, and she couldn’t find anything to tell Jorgensen that would help him in the least.

“It must be very difficult,” she finally said. The professor nodded and rolled up his sleeves, revealing some red scratches.

“Cassandra told me you saw one of his light episodes. But if he’s got over three billywigs in him... things get a little twisted.”

“Do you think he will get over it?”

“I’m hoping he will.”

--

“As we have already discussed, obtaining hybrids comprises two phases; we have already made enough crosses and we have a pure line of umbrella flowers. The next step will be to cross them again, this time with fanged geraniums”.

Kate tapped her fingers against her thigh, waiting impatiently for the class to finish. She placed a pot on the greenhouse table, with a seemingly calm geranium.

She gave several instructions on how to treat it, pointing to the teeth and thorns as points to watch for, and let them experiment on their own.

She put her hand to her chest, following the dragon-shaped silhouette of her necklace through the clothes. In a short time it would all be over.

The thought grieved her too. Over the months she had developed a special affection for these children and not only because she feared they would run around in the same hallways with a loose Death Eater, but because she genuinely liked them.

And Corentin. Oh, what would she have done without him these months? He was being of great help in her mission; both investigating and being the only thing that prevented her from collapsing completely.

“After transferring the pollen, don’t forget to cover the geranium pots.” She said almost shouting, so she could be heard among the voices of the children.

When they heard the castle bell, Kate practically pushed them out of the greenhouse, closed the door and shot out to the castle, throwing a  “See you on Friday!” Over her shoulder.

It was the day. The day Corentin and Kate agreed to start the trip to Grindelwald‘s room. Kate was a walking ball of nerves; not only for the excitement of investigating secret parts of a magnificent castle, but she would also be alone and probably in the dark.

“Here you go.” Corentin whispered, handing her the complete map.

The week prior, Kate and Corentin had done their best to find a way through Nerida’s painting. They racked their brains thinking about it until the only solution left was to find another way.

It didn’t take long for them to follow the path that led to the room and discover, to their great surprise and a touch of concern, that the starting point was a well-known place.

The library.

Now all that was needed was to find the how.

Behind the wall guarded by the librarian’s desk, Kate and Corentin were hiding in the dark.

Corentin looked at the stairs that led to the first floor of the tower where section C of the library was located. “It’s impossible for you to go up. The path ends here.”

Kate inspected the opposite wall, noticing nothing out of the ordinary. “Do you think it will have a Muggle mechanism like the painting?”

Corentin hummed, but did not answer the question.

With steady hands, Kate began to probe the stone in search of something; she did not know what, but something.

She gasped when a strange sensation ran through her body. In one corner, the wall had stopped being material to the touch and her fingertips disappeared.

She quickly reached out and looked at Corentin. “I have seen this spell before. There is... there is a door in a tower that cannot be opened. I went through it to go to a teachers’ meeting.”

She tested the wall again, this time inserting her arm up to her elbow, and took it out again, confirming her theory.

“I felt air on the other side.”

“Good luck, then.”

Kate wielded her wand a little harder than usual and with a long sigh after nodding to Corentin, ventured deep into the building.

It was not completely dark. A light could be seen in the distance. She made her way with the light emanating from her wand to the first torch. The path had narrowed in her wake without her noticing, and the space she had to manoeuvre had become limited.

The map had not yet blurred, but she didn’t risk losing it completely, so she approached it delicately towards the fire.

There was at an intersection with two possible directions and she took the one on the right as indicated on the map. The one on the left led to some stairs that went up to the first floor.

The passage became even narrower, forcing her to turn sideways and walk facing the wall. As she moved forward, she heard voices near her. They were not obvious; the sound was lost in the stone, but she could tell that she was just behind the advanced duelling classroom.

A sound of an explosion startled her, and there, pressed against two walls, she held her breath, thinking, irrationally, that the entire structure would collapse, leaving her buried and forgotten forever.

Her rational part of her brain understood that it was just a spell that had bounced off the wall, confirming that Libor Marek was on the other side.

Without wasting any more time, she kept going, as she could, the long way until it widened.

She took a deep breath and stopped.

The map was almost gone, but the last lines indicated that she had to go down the stairs right in front of her. Kate began to descend with little enthusiasm and soon reached the last step. It was on the same level as the castle kitchens.

Her footsteps echoed around her, and she wondered if anyone could hear her.

Suddenly, something else reverberated on the walls of the passage. A metallic, dry and very short sound almost imperceptible were it not for the fact that she was walking very slowly.

She stood still and waited.

She waved her light back and forth, but there was no one with her. As she moved one foot to begin her expedition again, she heard it once more, this time recognising the sound as something she should have avoided.

Behind her, part of the wall began to fall out of place; a seemingly endless stone wall closed off her path, and when she thought she could only go forward, she realised that she had been hopelessly trapped; another wall closed off the passage.

She folded the now-empty map as best she could and kept it up her sleeve so she could approach the wall freely. She cursed when she heard the noise again.

The walls began to move towards her. Kate frantically searched for something to help her escape the fate that awaited her in a few minutes. With her wand between her teeth, she groped the wall that was pushing her back and with wide eyes watched as the second one was getting closer and closer to her back.

She tried to stop them with a repelling spell, but the space was getting smaller and smaller with every second. In desperation she continued to touch the stone that was oppressing her and for a second her hand sank.

As fast as she could, she went through the rock the same way she entered the tunnel system in the library, and appeared on the other side. Several torches lit up part of the way.

Behind her, the two walls met, raising a cloud of dust that made her cough. Now there was no turning back.

She lost track of time as she walked. The corridor was long as it crossed the castle from side to side. Luckily for her, she didn’t need to have her wand lit. With several torches at her disposal, she turned right, where a flight of steps would bring her closer to her goal. When she reached the top, she was left in the dark again.

The feeling was strange. She was not on the main floor, but neither was she in the depths from which she had come.

With a last glance at the paper, she turned left, venturing out on the last stretch of the journey.

The tunnels drawn on the map were disappearing, but Kate had already reached her destination. She stopped at the crossroads and lit up the area with her wand.

To her left was the long awaited gate and to her right, stairs to the first floor that reached a dead end. With the map erased and no torches nearby, she sensed that that was the space where Nerida’s painting was.

With a deep breath to calm herself down, she took the metal mop and pulled, discovering that the door was open. Thinking that the last stretch to her goal had been suspiciously easy, she ventured into the room.

She immediately covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve; decades of dampness and pestilence had accumulated in the room, and the fact that the only point of ventilation was the door she entered would not help the situation.

She felt around the nearest walls and found a candlestick. Waving her wand very delicately so as not to overdo the size of the flames, she pronounced, “Incendio”.

She was startled when all the candles in the room lit up in an electric blue, revealing several disturbing elements.

She took two steps back, closing the door with her back in the process.

Recovering her temper, she approached the first thing that caught her attention: a large glass cylinder that almost reached the ceiling, filled with a green liquid that was most likely stagnant water.

A skeleton of a creature which could perfectly well have been a snake or some type of sea serpent, rested on the bottom surrounded by smaller bones. She wrinkled her nose and looked away to the rest of the room.

Just to the right of the tube was a desk filled with sketches and writings. It was not the only place where there were scrolls, though; the walls were practically wallpapered with drawings and notes. The Deathly Hallows symbol was obsessively drawn all over the place.

At the door, Kate recognised the map of Nerida recreated with several pieces of paper.

She focused on the desk where there were more documents. She frowned at the particularly dark drawings of creatures that were not exactly human, but Kate could not recognise what they were.

On one sheet of paper the word ‘Inferi’ was written.

Above the desk and completely covered by scrolls was a world map, with some pins in certain places. A small piece of paper was written on it: ‘Peverell?’

She surrounded the chair that stood in her way and came to a shelf full of jars; some empty and others with ingredients for potions.

She touched something with her foot and almost jumped up to the ceiling.

A crystal ball rested on a complex system of tubes and wires that she could not identify. With the hit, the ball vibrated for a few moments and Kate held her breath.

Relieved when the ball was finally in place, she bent down to read the label attached to it: ‘Erik Aaberg.’

“No...” She sighed. She had found the place where he had captured the obscurus.

On the ground there were more drawings, this time of several children with detailed descriptions.

In the silence, she heard her own saliva coming down her throat as she imagined how Grindelwald chose his victim.

Beyond the system that once contained an obscurus, she glimpsed the feet of a black lectern she had never seen before.

She conjured up lumos again so she could see better and stood up to read the scroll that rested there.

Curious.

It looked new, and the layer of dust was not as evident as in the other objects. She unrolled it and began to read.

Alecto Carrow

Amycus Carrow

Walden Macnair

Lucius Malfoy

Narcisa Malfoy

Isidora Gonore

Thorfinn Rowle

Antonin Dolohov

Cyprus Raynott

Malina Hadwise

Corban Yaxley

Gaspar Avery

The list stopped there, but the trembling of her jaw did not. She recognised several names: Corban Yaxley had become friends with her grandfather many years ago, after he had dealt with a plague of acromantulas in the mansion where she lived as a child; Lucius Malfoy, a man from the Ministry who would not leave Mr Weasley alone, his son was studying with Charlie’s brother; Cyprus Raynott! Her father’s workmate, and the person who had come to Durmstrang to find Igor Karkarov.

She recognised Dolohov’s name from the newspapers; he was imprisoned in Azkaban for being... a Death Eater.

Would... would it be possible that... all of them...

But she couldn’t warn anyone. Not Mr. Weasley, not her father, not anyone from the Ministry. As safe as the Durmstrang post was, such a letter would be easily intercepted, and even more so if someone was waiting for it. Because that list was unequivocally what the school’s Death Eater wanted to find at all costs.

She could try to communicate via her patronus, but she had refused to learn that spell from Dumbledore, not only because she had only managed to cast her patronus once in her life but because she considered it a dangerous way to send messages.

She read the list again, but none of the teachers appeared on the paper.

An unknown sound left her frozen in place. It wasn’t footsteps or voices, but like a crackling sound around her. No, it was as if someone was writing beside her; it was a sound of a quill on paper.

She instinctively took the scroll to her ear, and the noise became more evident.

She waited for a few seconds and out of nowhere, just below Gaspar Avery, a new name appeared that made her blood run cold.

Severus Snape.

Her breath was laboured, and a heavy sensation pressed against her chest. She looked around frantically, wondering what her next step might be. She did not want to leave the room behind, but she could not stay there long either.

She rolled up the scroll again and tucked it up her sleeve in a hurry. With one last look at Grindelwald’s belongings, she headed for one of the candlesticks to extinguish the flames. As she blew, all the lights went out.

She closed the door behind her and cast some protective incantations to make it at least more difficult to enter. She checked the doorknob twice and slipped through the shadows into the dead-end corridor.

The wall was cold to the touch, there was only stone, but there had to be a way out that did not go through the hapless maze that she had come from. She murmured ‘lumos’ and bent down to look for the mechanism that had opened the painting, but this time she was on the other side of the wall, so she had little hope.

She felt a buzz as she ran her hand along the bottom of the wall which intensified as she reached the third from the right.

Practically lying on the floor, she looked for a way to operate some mechanism that would open the door. By applying a little pressure, she could feel the ‘click’.

She thought she saw the wall light up suddenly, with a blue glow that disappeared in the second, but when she got up the wand had come near her face so she didn’t give it much importance.

Nothing.

What had made that sound?

When she touched the wall again, she thought it had been a fatal mistake: she felt a pull in her stomach and a force that pushed her forward. Her hands went through the wall first and touched something solid again, the painting, which as she continued to be consumed by the castle, opened up as she pushed it.

In less than a couple of seconds Nerida Vulchanova had spat her out of the bowels of her fortress and from the ground, relieved that she had not hit her head, she saw the waves that had been created on the stone as she passed solidify again. The painting closed and Nerida watched her from the heights.

“Thanks... I guess.” She said to the painting.

She crawled a little until she was leaning against the wall and massaged her arm. The hidden object burned against her skin. She had to go to her room immediately and hide it; or take it with her at all times; or say ‘thank you very much’ to Rhode and leave in the first carriage to London.

To her left was an armchair which promised to be much nicer than the floor, and she mustered the courage to get up to it.

Just when she had caught her breath, someone came through the door. The shelves prevented her from seeing who had entered, but she did see the figure standing at a display case.

Effectively putting her own feelings aside, Kate sensed contradictory feelings in the stranger; a deep sadness, helplessness, confidence, arrogance.

She stood up, alerting the intruder. The teacher’s long earrings swayed as she bowed her head.

“Miss Williams, what brings you here?” Yankelevich commented casually. Kate approached the teacher, not to engage in conversation, but to find out what she was looking at so gloomily.

“I like to come here. It’s a quiet place.” She glanced at the display case and read the plaque of the largest trophy there was. Lena Yankelevich.

“My sister. Magnificent seeker.”

Libor Marek came through the door creating a great din, and both witches turned around. Kate took advantage of that to go to the door and say goodbye quickly, without stopping to wonder why there were so many people in that room and with the name of her former potions teacher hammering into her brain.

--

[Part 15]

A/N: you have no idea how hard it was to write this chapter lmao.

Tag List: @am-i-space​ @eldritchscreech​ @cazreadsstuff​ @meteora-fc​ @the-navistar-carol​

[ficklefic]

list of kinktober prompts

under a cut because it’s long. if your prompt isn’t on the list, sorry! i’ll consider it outside of october. this will also serve as the masterpost of the fics!

unfinished prompts are subject to change.

day 1 - cock warming nothing quite like home / After months of being away for press tours, Rachel finally comes home to her wife and cock warmer, Quinn. (g!p Rachel)

day 2 - psychic/telekinesis Levitation of Rachel Berry / Quinn finds out that her girlfriend, one Rachel Berry, is more than a little psychic. She finds out exactly what Rachel can do with her abilities.

day 3 - hands only; day 4 - erotic massage; day 5 - thigh & feet fucking waiting on her (hand & foot) /  Rachel is being worked hard on Broadway and Quinn felt it to be her responsibility as Rachel's wife to alleviate her aches and pains in any way she can. (g!p Quinn)

day 6 - were!penis; day 7 - breeding

day 8 - boob kink; day 9 - lactation

day 10 - milfs; day 11 - squirting captured & enchanted 2 / Rachel, back in Lima for summer break, decided to pay Quinn a visit in hopes of showing the older woman how much she had improved since their first time, more than a year ago. (g!p Rachel)

day 12 - mistaken identity; day 13 - dirty talk life of the party / from the gkm. Finn throws a party at his house where he's finally convinced Quinn to have sex with him. G!P Rachel enters Finn's room accidentally and finds Quinn naked, laying on her stomach, rubbing her clit. Quinn thinks it's Finn so she just prompts the intruder to go right ahead because she got herself ready. Rachel goes for it - this might be her only chance to get laid, and with her dream girl. (g!p Rachel)

day 14 - friends with benefits

day 15 - aphrodisiac; day 16 - blindfolds + ice cubes; day 17 - pegging:

day 18 - threesome; day 19 - dom/sub; day 20 - daddy kink; day 21 - aftercare: it’s only fair 2 /  Months passed since Cassandra last had sex with Rachel. When she notices her marked after class one day, she finds out who Rachel replaced her with: one Quinn Fabray. G!P Cassandra and G!P Quinn.

day 22 - bite kink + vampires undeniably irresistible /  There's a new club in town and Rachel, invited by her friend, decides to check it out. There, she meets Quinn, who protects her from untoward advances – and happens to be the club's owner. When they start dating, Rachel makes it known that she likes getting her neck bitten, not knowing that Quinn is a vampire.

day 23 - sex tape; day 24 - phone sex; day 25 - exhibitionism; day 26 - mutual masturbation so you want to be on film? / After Rachel sees a post on social media that disrupts her rational thought, she gains an idea: she wants to make a sex tape.And who is the best person to rope into her mad schemes than her ex-rival-turned-best-friend, Quinn?

day 27 - animal play

day 28 - daddy kink; day 29 - sugar baby

day 30 - suits; day 31 - anonymous fuck

[pl-panda]

Damienette arranged marriage: part 18

Credits: Miraculous Ladybug team for the elements I take from MLB show. DC for their characters, @ozmav for the AU, @maribat-archive for giving me access to so many different stories to have take inspirations from, @thyladyanput for idea for Chat Damian and me for the plot.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

Part 12 Part 13 part 14

part 15 part 16

Part 17

Damienette arranged marriage: part 18

NEXT

--------------------------------------

“I think it will be best if I tell the truth.” She looked at Damian for a moment, but then returned her sight to Marinette. “It has mostly to do with your grandma. My mother had two daughters actually. Me and my sister. Her name is Sandra Wu-San, better know as Lady Shiva”

“What the fuck!?” Was Damian’s reaction.

---------------------

“Judging by Damian’s reaction, I guess she is not that popular…” Marinette stated, having no idea who was this ‘Lady Shiva’ beyond apparently her aunt.

“She is…” Her mother started, but this time it was Tom who stopped her.

“Sandra is an assassin, much like your husband.” He glared daggers at the boy, who felt shiver going up his spine. Perhaps it was because they were Marinette’s parents, but this two scared him on equal level as his father on bad day or angry Alfred. He’d only seen the butler in foul mood once. He could not really remember what caused it, but there was no stopping Alfred then. 

“Ex-Assassin Papa. Damian is a good person.” Marinette defended him. Sabine was about to say something, but the girl had none of that. “Damian is honest, caring and loyal. He was willing to give up his freedom to protect me and he tried to fight an akumatized Chat Noir to buy me time to escape.”

“Wait. Chat Noir got akumatized?” Her mother asked bewildered.

“tt. Yes.” Damian answered. “That moggy decided that he no longer wants Ladybug and instead went after An… Marinette” Luckily for him, neither of the parents acknowledged the nickname he started to give his wife.

“He probably got akumatized over something else and it just appeared this way…”

“As if!” Her father shouted. “I knew that boy would only bring trouble. If I get my hands on him, I…” Tom stopped himself before he said too much. His daughter might have been married (he still had hard time believing this was real), but she was a child nonetheless. “then I will hand him to Sabine!” He finally declared. It was not like he could invent any worse fate for Chat Noir anyway.

The mother in question turned to Damian with her cold stare. “I want you to be honest with me young man. Did that mogger do anything to my sweety?”

“He kissed her.” Damian answered truthfully.

“Tom! Get me my bag!” Sabine shouted. 

“Maman! It was because of the Akuma! You can’t go out and try to skin him alive…” Marinette tried to defend her partner. And I just thought I dissuaded one former assassin from extracting vengeance. She thought to herself.

“Oh Sweety! It doesn’t make it right.”

“Maman!/Mrs. Cheng.” Marinette and Damian exclaimed at the same time. Girl allowed her boyfriend/husband to speak first.

“While I would be more than eager to assist you in the hunt for the rascal, I believe the priority here is Marinette and what she wants.”

“Huff. Yes. You are right boy.” Sabine was not amused, but she gained some respect for the boy. He was considerate about her daughter’s opinion. At least that was a plus.

“I have one question.” Damian noticed that she relaxed a bit and decided to test his luck. “Sabine Wu-San was declared dead almost quarter a century ago. How is that you are here.”

“Well, I think I owe Mari this story and you are not leaving any times soon.” The last part held a underlain threat that he better stayed and explained himself thorough. She heard the retelling of the events from month before, but she still had more than a handful of questions for the boy. The kind that she would ask when Marinette went to bed. 

“You don’t need to Maman.” The girl quickly sputtered.

“It’s okay sweety. Given the situation you should probably know.” Sabine reassured the girl and took more comfortable position on the couch. “Well… My sister and I were raised to be perfect assassins. We were practically born into the League of Assassins. By the time I was twenty, I already mastered most of the conventional martial arts and weapons. But it was not what I wanted. I wanted out. I wanted freedom. I didn’t want to be just a killing machine.”

“Mmmmffffmfmf” Talia gave another muffled sound. This one was even more angry, but nobody cared what she 

“Oh! Shut up you murderous… “ Sabine stopped herself. “Would you cover your ears sweety? I must tell Talia some words that should not be said in presence of such sweetheart.” Marinette wanted to frown, but Damian took the chance and came closer to her and put his hands on either sides of her head. He scowled when Tom did the same for him. Both teens could see Sabine yelling something at the tied woman, but they didn’t hear anything. It lasted for quite a bit before finally much more cheerful woman gestured Tom that she was done.

“You feeling better Maman?”

“Yes Sweety. Where was I? Right. When I was twenty I run away. I faked my own death to make sure I was left alone.”

“I remember. That was the first time Lady Shiva emerged.” Damian recalled what he read in his father’s files when he was bored. “She was out for revenge. She was mercilessly tracking all people who had any connection with the case.”

“Yes.” Sabine admitted sadly. ‘It was almost two years before she found me.”

“So she knows you are alive?” Damian implied.

“Yes. Sandra is sweet once you get to know her. She comes on my birthday or at least send an overly expensive piece of weaponry. I keep it all in ‘The bag’.” Sabine chimed happily. “If she ever happens to be in Paris we make sure to go out for a coffee and catch up. 

“Maman! Why didn’t I ever meat Aunt Sandra then?”

“You did once. She posed as Wang’s assistant, remember?”

“That was her!?” Marinette remembered hazily that about four years ago Uncle Wang was accompanied by some woman who claimed to be there to deal with the press and the likes. 

“Yes.”

“Miss Cheng.” Damian started with a bit of a hesitation. “Are you aware that your sister had a daughter?” He asked unsure whether this was appropriate or not. His human skills were already put to the test here.

“Excuse me, but could you repeat?” Sabine asked befuddled. 

“Cassandra Cain. She is the daughter of Lady Shiva and another Assassin David Cain. At the moment she lives with my father in the Manor.”

“Oh…” Marinette watched as her mother was completely at the loss of words. “Excuse me why I go make a call and yell at certain family member. Damian. Be so kind and ask your father if it would be okay for me to meet her.”

“Will do madam.” The young Wayne actually smiled. He always respected Cass and was happy that maybe the girl would find some of her family. 

The happy atmosphere was broken when suddenly Talia crashed the chair she was tied to and freed herself.

“You are all in. So. Much. Trouble!” She spat through clenched teeth. 

——————————————————————————————————–

Taglist (sorry if I missed you)@pheonixashtree @sassakitty @unabashedbookworm @vixen-uchiha @maggiecc12 @actualdisasterwoman @tired-butterfly @shizukiryuu @floralfi @imanerddealwith @northernbluetongue @krispydefendorpolice @toodaloo-kangaroo @dast218 @bluesoulblueheart @theatreandcomicfreak @disneyfoxuniverse @mindfulmagics @alwaysnumberonetruth @nyaabinch @jardimazul @lenamau @rosep16 @dramatic-squirrel @sonif50 @daminett4life @lulutheawkwardess @weird-pale-blonde-person @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @mochegato @moonlightstar64 @dragonflyswing @silverwhiteraven @shamefullove @magic-miraculous @valeks-princess @heaven428 @mlbchaosqueen @winter-gardenflower @spicybelladonna @emo-elaine13 @vetilora @karukofox21 @my-name-is-michell  @sturchling @lokiifriggasonn @redscarlet95 @melicmusicmagic @interobanginyourmom @the-fusionist @razzledazzle247 @miss-mysterys-blog @darkthunder1589 @i-is-mysterious @catthhay @the-one-woman-army @zestyzealot @dahjokester @write-for-your-life2 @mermaidreject @peachedpocky @sassakitty @dahjokester @crazylittlemunchkin @novicevoice @justafanwarrior @eliza-bitch @schrodingers25 @tired-butterfly @toodaloo-kangaroo

[bestworstcase]

What would you have thought if Madam Canardist was designed and characterized without the racially negative stereotypes against the Romani people and voiced without an accent?

she’d be a completely different character in that case. 

her basic role in the story, as a character accompanied by a disguised/shapeshifted demanitus, who ends up facilitating the important exposition in lost and found, is completely fine on its own. so, i wouldn’t have a problem with a different, hypothetical non-racist character filling that role

in the context of... sticking with canon and the episodic cartoon format and trying not to deviate too much from the canon plot, here’s how i’d design that character:

1. obviously just... completely scrap her canon visual design. i think she should still be a woman of color, because there aren’t enough women of color in tangled. actually you know what this is all hypothetical so let’s get real self indulgent with it and say she’s voiced by and modeled after ciara renée, Because Reasons.

2. she’s still named canardist, but to lean more into the pun, demanitus’s shapeshifted form is a duck, not a monkey. [in english, a “canard” is an unfounded rumor, story, or hoax, and in french, a “canard” is a duck. :P]

3. she’s a village bard and team corona first encounters her in her hometown of fortuna. rapunzel and eugene are on a date, rapunzel sees this woman chilling with her lute and her slightly deranged looking duck by a fountain or something and is like !!!, and canardist not-very-begrudgingly agrees to perform, like, the epic ballad she’s composed about the town’s history. 

4. it turns out that the history of fortuna’s founding is absolutely fucking bizarre, like this town is a total weirdness magnet and all kinds of utterly bonkers stuff has happened and when canardist finishes the tale eugene is like hahaha, yeah right. canardist, put out by his skepticism, is like “look my duck is psychic fortuna is just Like This okay” and eugene loses it. 

5. rapunzel is intrigued by the psychic duck and wants to pay for a fortune, but canardist is like no way, your boyfriend is a jerk, get lost, so they go. they stop in the market to pick up supplies on their way back to the caravan, discuss eugene’s cynicism, hear some rumors about the thieves who’ve been terrorizing the town lately. rapunzel persuades eugene that they should loop past the fountain again and apologize to canardist for him, you know, laughing in her face and insulting her pet, and when they get there the duck is gone and she’s distraught because two kids grabbed him and ran off. cue the rest of the canon plot of vigor the visionary, with the girls and everything. except vigor is a duck. 

6. in the end, they bring vigor the duck back to canardist, and to thank them, she offers rapunzel one of vigor’s fortunes. it’s vague and confusing and won’t come into play until, let’s say happiness is—when we (and rapunzel) realize that it was warning her not to fall for the illusory happiness offered by the lorb idol. eugene is still skeptical, insisting that the “fortune” was vague and it only lined up with the events on the island by coincidence. 

7. now—fundamentally, bards were chroniclers. they recorded history. and canardist, being a rather good bard, figured out pretty quickly just who rapunzel is and, after team corona left fortuna, decided “you know what? that’s history in the making. i’m going to follow them and write down what happens.” 

8. so she hops a ferry across the sea and waits for them on the other side. rather than the whole lombard’s pass / telescope theft / nonsense with the curse, the episode after peril on the high seas is shenanigans with canardist being all, “i want to join your group and chronicle you” while team corona is like um. there’s a b plot with vigor the duck kind of terrorizing eugene/following eugene around and refusing to be shooed away; the a plot maybe has to do with a clash between canardist, who’s accustomed to nobility paying her for the privilege of having her chronicle their lives, and rapunzel, who has Uncomfortable Feelings about being important enough for a professional bard to be wanting to travel with her and write about it; maybe they still have to cross lombard’s pass, canardist helps (she’s a bard, she’s well traveled, she probably knows a trick or two), and at the end of the episode it’s like—okay, rapunzel’s not comfortable traveling with what’s essentially a biographer, but she and canardist come to some sort of agreement to go their separate ways but with the understanding that canardist is going to trail after them and interview people about what they did and at some point, when she’s ready, rapunzel’s going to give her side of the story.

9. canardist gets tied back into the narrative in brothers hook. this time it’s not because she’s following them, but because hook hand’s a friend of hers and she, completely independently of team corona, decided to show up and support him at his big gig for king trevor. it’s a much more amiable meeting and, after hook foot leaves, rapunzel decides to invite canardist along. because she’s doubling down on her decisions in the great tree, she feels more secure than she did the last time they met and letting canardist chronicle their journey no longer seems as scary. so canardist takes hook foot’s place in the party.

10. her presence then becomes yet another thing putting pressure on cass, because the thing is... it’s clear that cass is just a footnote in the story canardist is chronicling. she’s not important, in the context of the history they are making. rapunzel is. cass is on track to end up as rapunzel’s nameless bodyguard in this ballad canardist is writing and she tries not to let that bother her but it really really does. 

11. i think it’s sort of funny if canardist gets just, completely skipped over by all the whacky evil shenanigans in the shell house. because tromus recognizes that vigor the duck is demanitus and he’s like okay, that’s a grenade i’m not going to touch with a ten foot pole, and zhan tiri is like yeah good call, so canardist ends up just like, sipping tea and casually strumming her lute and making small talk with tromus while the rest of team corona gets terrorized by mirror demons and time-twisting tops and lotus dreams. 

12. so lost and found. there’s some tension in the group because canardist wasn’t harmed by anything in the shell house and that has eugene feeling just a mite suspicious, and maybe cass is backing him up too to distract attention away from what she went through and her “do i take the moonstone or not” dilemma; and partly to smooth it over canardist is like look, rapunzel, eugene, take vigor, he has something he wants to show you.

13. by this point everyone is sort of used to canardist talking about vigor like this even though he is, to all appearances, a slightly deranged duck, and rapunzel is insistent that canardist is completely trustworthy so she’s like okay!! sounds great!! and drags eugene along. the maze stuff happens. vigor reveals himself to be demanitus. it’s basically canon except he’s, you know, a duck. also it just occurred to me that i never specified what kind of duck i’m imagining when i say duck so i feel the need to do that now: 

one of these guys, but like, a little bedraggled and crazed-looking. it’s the red eyes that really sells it. 

14. anyway vigor also reveals that, yes, canardist knew he was demanitus the whole time; turns out she comes from a long, long line of bards stretching back to an ancestor of hers who knew demanitus and agreed to protect his undying birdbrained duck vessel until such time as he was ready to emerge. eugene feels bad about distrusting her, they make up at the end of the episode, she slips him vigor’s fortune about one of the group turning traitor in the dark kingdom. he’s like, fuck.

15. destinies collides happen, cass gets the moonstone and fucks off, for the rest of s3 canardist’s role is like... she and vigor stick with the group, she’s still chronicling them, but she also, because of her own history with demanitus, is able to help fill in some of the gaps; she reveals to rapunzel that gothel was once a servant of demanitus—and betrayed him for zhan tiri, and then betrayed zhan tiri for the sundrop. basically she’s how we get more of the the gothel+zhan tiri lore we were all craving in s3

16. other s3 stuff—maybe with her help team corona starts sketching out a plan for dealing with zhan tiri immediately after race to the spire, rather than putting it off until plus est en vous. maybe she gets to be a kind of foil to cass; as a bard, she’s always the one telling the story—never participating in it directly—and perhaps she has some complicated feelings about that that could parallel cassandra’s feelings about always being in the shadows, just a footnote, just a bit player, never someone the story is about. maybe she can have a cute bonding moment or two with varian the demanitus fanboy or xavier the legends buff. also whacky vigor and canardist shenanigans during lost treasure are mandatory. anyway the point here is, she’s not just yeeted out of the story 

[jawsofhakkontranscript]

What Yet Lingers: Look for information on Inquisitor Ameridan

(Previous quest - Storvacker Caged)

Main questline: What Yet Lingers: Look for information on Inquisitor Ameridan

This is the second part of "What Yet Lingers" questline.

A mysterious island in Frostback Basin may yield clues to the region’s past.

Characters involved: Telana’s spirit

(After receiving permission to borrow the boat, you may sail to the Lady’s Rest island and investigate the area.)

Upon entering, one of the following party members might remark on the strangeness of the island:

Sera: I hate this island. Stinks of dog, and blight, and just… sad! How does it smell sad?

Blackwall: For a moment, I almost felt like I was walking down a street back in Markham. Strange.

Iron Bull: Anybody else smell sea-air and spice? That's... that isn't right.

Possible replies:

Dorian: Your mind is being influenced by the spirits here. They're drawing sorrow from you like you'd draw water from a well.

Vivienne: It's the spirits, darling. They're projecting sorrow and eliciting your most tragic memories in return

Solas: The spirits gathered here were drawn to tragedy. They radiate it, as a fire does heat.

Cole: You feel sad because they do, watching, waiting. They want to help you hear it.

Response from the person who made the first remark:

Sera: Make them stop. It's my head, demons. You're not invited!

Blackwall: Right. That didn't help.

Iron Bull: Glad I asked.

(While you explore the Lady’s Rest, you can hear a disoriented female voice, which is revealed to belong to a spirit who found Telana as she was dying and preserved her memories.)

I can't... not without…

Sleep. I need to... I must find you...

No, no, no.

This blood... my blood? No, I can't…

Vhenan... I'm... dreaming…

Ameridan... Ameridan, why?

Party comments when you explore deeper into the island:

Sera: Eugh, shivers right up in there. Not living and not right!

Iron Bull: I could do without all the demons, Boss. Any time you want to leave is fine by me.

Solas: Interesting. What drew so many spirits to this place, I wonder?

Cole: They watched the dead and dying, pressing close, clustered to hear, and forgot how to go back.

(Approach an unstable rift in a fallen shack. The Anchor starts behaving strangely.)

Party comments:

Cassandra: We should deal with the rift. This area will not be stable until it is gone.

Varric: We're not going to leave that rift here, right?

Solas: This rift is ancient. It may have formed from the battle that took place here, not the Breach.

(If no companion makes a comment.) PC: We've looked everywhere else on this island. Shall we see what's inside the rift?

(When you fully open the rift, the spirit can communicate more clearly.)

Telana’s spirit: Telana slept... I slept. To find him in dreaming... but I... the blood... I'm... she's... gone. Telana wanted to reach Ameridan again, one more time, but she couldn't. I couldn't. I died. I tried to stay but only pieces came through. You opened the sky for the rest of me.

Dialogue options:

General: You knew Ameridan. [1]

General: Ah. Another Fade... thing. [2]

General: What is this? [3]

Special: Cole? [4]

Special: Solas? [5]

[1] General: You knew Ameridan.

PC: You... or she... wanted to reach Ameridan again? We're also trying to find him. [6]

[2] General: Ah. Another Fade... thing.

PC: This is going to be the Fade all over again. Do you know where Ameridan is? [6]

[3] General: What is this?

PC: What are you talking about? Where is Ameridan? [6]

[4] Special: Cole?

PC: Cole, can you help make sense of this?

Cole: It hurts. She hurt. The wraiths knew only the pain, but she knew why, daring, dreaming into darkness, for Ameridan. [6]

[5] Special: Solas?

PC: Solas, this seems like something you might be able to help with.

Solas: Pain drew the wraiths, but this spirit touched the mind of someone who cared for Inquisitor Ameridan. [6]

[6] Telana’s spirit: Ameridan. Yes. Inquisitor. Beloved. I... she... came with Ameridan to hunt the dragon.

PC: The dragon?

Telana’s spirit: Huge... power like none had seen. It came from the mountains with the Avvar. Towns fell, all dead. One last favor for Emperor Drakon. Slay the Avvar-dragon, save Orlais. [7]

[7] Dialogue options:

Mad: Why was this covered up? [8]

Confused: He was on a mission? [9]

Stoic: Where did he go? [10]

Sad: He died here, then. [11]

[8] Mad: Why was this covered up?

PC: Inquisitor Ameridan died saving Orlais from a dragon? How could history just forget that?

Telana’s spirit: Not forgotten. Forbidden. Darkspawn in the north, all of Orlais afraid. No one could know. Orlais must stand unstained, no fear to falter. "Please, my friend. For both our peoples." [12]

[9] Confused: He was on a mission?

PC: This wasn't just a hunt? Inquisitor Ameridan was here on orders from Emperor Drakon?

Telana’s spirit: Yes. A secret. Drawn by the dragon. Telana... I didn't want to, but where Ameridan goes, I go. [12]

[10] Stoic: Where did he go?

PC: Can you tell me what happened to Inquisitor Ameridan? [12]

[11] Sad: He died here, then.

PC: There are no records of a dragon, so he must have killed it... and died doing so.

Telana’s spirit: Yes. If he had lived, he would have found her. Me. But he didn't. And no one ever knew. [12]

[12] They fought at the shore. Spirits and magic, cold, so cold. How I found her, how she found us. They rested here, then up the river. Metal spires. A way to stop the dragon. Then Telana returned here alone to wait for him. Forever waiting. Dreaming... then dead. [13]

[13] Dialogue options:

General: You can rest now. [14]

General: Leave, or be destroyed. [15]

General: Goodbye. [16]

[14] General: You can rest now.

PC: We'll find Ameridan. You don't have to wait here anymore.

Party comments:

Solas: You have done all that she asked of you. Be free.

Cole: You did what she wanted you to. You can let go of her now.

Telana’s spirit: Thank you. It was hard. [17]

[15] General: Leave, or be destroyed.

PC: You're too dangerous to remain here.

Party comments:

Cassandra: I agree. It does not seem hostile, but it is safer for everyone if it returns to the Fade.

Vivienne: True. It is only prudent to banish the thing.

Cole: No, she's not angry! She wanted to help. She stayed when Telana couldn't.

Solas: That is hardly necessary. The spirit is no danger to anyone.

Telana’s spirit: I will not fight. I tried to remember. For Telana. [17]

[16] General: Goodbye.

PC: Farewell, spirit.

Telana’s spirit: I have shared her message. I will go. [17]

[17] I... she... went a long time ago. I stayed because she asked. Her things are there. She wanted them found. [Exits the conversation]

(Collect Ameridan’s orders.)

Codex entry: Ancient Document Protected in a Scroll Case

Whosoever reads this message,

Let it be known that the bearer, Inquisitor Ameridan, Commander of the Seekers of Truth, travels to the Frostback Basin on the official request of His Divine Majesty Kordillus Drakon, Emperor of Orlais, upon business vital to the safety and security of this most holy empire, and that he and those who travel with him are to be afforded every service, rendered every assistance, and extended every courtesy in their effort to protect Orlesian lives from threats both magical and mundane.

Maker watch over him,

Kordillus Drakon I

PC: Kenric will want a look at the orders.

(The Anchor erupts, bringing the Inquisitor to their knees.)

Party comments: (I’m pretty sure these reactions are reused from another spot in the game.)

Blackwall: Are you all right?

Varric: Hey, you all right?

Dorian: Everything all right down there?

Cassandra: Are you all right?

Iron Bull: You all right, boss?

Sera: (Laughs.) How'd that work out?

(New ability “Aegis of the Rift” is unlocked.)

(Go back to the boat. In the meantime, Hakkonites arrived at the shore.)

Male Hakkonite: There! It's the lowlanders!

Female Hakkonite: Kill the Inquisitor! Death to her/his hold, for Hakkon's glory!

(Defeat the Hakkonites and return to the mainland. Approach Arvid.)

Arvid: You lived. Thank you for bringing the boat back.

(Next quest - What Yet Lingers: Return to Kenric)

[katekaned]

Barbara Gordon made her DC comics debut in 1967 in Detective Comics #359, “The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl.” Initially introduced to the comics as a way to test fan reception to the idea of a new “Batgirl” appearing in the 1960s ABC Batman show, Barbara would outlast her television counterpart and go on to become a vital part of the DC universe and a fan favorite character. 

Under the cut is a summary of Barbara Gordon’s comic history pre-New 52 and an extensive list of comics in which she appears as the information jockey and wheelchair-using superhero, Oracle.

Basic Reading

Batman Chronicles #5 (1996)

Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey (1996)

Birds of Prey (1999)

Batgirl (2000)

Batgirl (2009)

Birds of Prey (2010)

Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Barbara was the daughter of Gotham Police Commissioner James Gordon and the head librarian at the Gotham City Public Library. Barbara takes on a second job as Batgirl after fighting Killer Moth while dressed up in a Batman-inspired costume for a masquerade ball. Although Batman is resistant to the idea of a girl helping him fight crime, he is unable to prevent Babs from assisting him and Robin in protecting Gotham. She also develops a close friendship and working relationship with Supergirl. During the 1970s, Barbara Gordon became a Congresswoman and continued to operate as Batgirl in Washington, D.C. After failing to be reelected, Babs returned to Gotham, where she worked as Batgirl up until the Crisis.

Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Barbara’s continuity underwent extensive reconstruction. No longer Jim Gordon’s daughter, she was his niece until her parents died while she was a teenager and her uncle brought her to Gotham and adopted her. A talented athlete and genius with a photographic memory, Babs longed to join the GCPD, but Jim did not like the idea of her having such a dangerous career. Eventually, Babs found her own way to help in joining Batman and Robin in fighting crime as Batgirl. In Batgirl Special (1988), Barbara retired from being Batgirl and resumed her civilian life. Later that year, the infamous graphic novel, The Killing Joke, was published. In Alan Moore’s story, Barbara Gordon was shot and assaulted by the Joker, in an attempt to drive her father insane. As a result of her gunshot wound, Babs was paralyzed from the waist-down and began using a wheelchair to get around. Although she served as little more than a plot device, the repercussions of what happened to her in The Killing Joke would reshape much of the DC Universe. 

Here’s where Oracle enters. Although DC editorial, by and large, had no further plans for Barbara Gordon’s character post-Killing Joke, writers Kim Yale and John Ostrander sought to create a place in comics for a superhero in a wheelchair who had no special powers of her own. Thus, Oracle was created as Barbara Gordon’s hacker and information specialist superhero persona. Oracle would first appear in Ostrander’s run on Suicide Squad before slowly reappearing as a Batman supporting character in the 1990s. In 1996, Chuck Dixon wrote the one-shot Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey, which eventually spun off into its own popular and much beloved series in 1999. Oracle remained an integral part of DC canon, training two new Batgirls, working with Batman, the Birds of Prey and even the Justice League, until the New 52 reboot in 2011, when DC decided to return Babs to her status as Batgirl. The editorial decision to have Barbara undergo surgery to rid her of her paralysis has undergone major scrutiny and been heavily maligned by disability advocates, however, Babs is no closer to returning to her role as Oracle or her wheelchair.

Below is a (mostly) chronological list of Oracle’s most prominent appearances in DC comics! (My personal favorites will be bolded.)

[As a note - many of Oracle’s early appearances have her hiding behind a computer/in a cameo role, as her identity was not yet revealed to comic readers. I am including these early appearances in my list to show people how the mystery unfolded, but if you want to skip they will be marked with an asterisk!]

Oracle Appears

Batman Chronicles #5: Oracle -- Year One: Born of Hope (1996) [Not Oracle’s first appearance historically, but the story of how she came to be and essential to her character.]

Suicide Squad #23 [1st appearance!] - #24, #26 (1989)*

Manhunter #13 (1989)*

Suicide Squad #32, #38 (1989-1990)*

Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #98 (1990)*

Batman #451 (1990)

Suicide Squad #48-#49 (1990-1991)

Suicide Squad #51 (1991)

Hawk and Dove #22-24 (1991)

Suicide Squad #54-#57, #59, #61, #63-#65 (1991-1992)

Hacker Files #5-#6 (1992-1993)

Oracle Joins the Bat-Family / Meets Black Canary

Showcase '94 #12: "A Little Knowledge" (1994)

Batman #520 (1995)

Nightwing #2 (1995) [A cameo appearance but the beginning of Dick and Babs’ complicated and lengthy post-crisis history]

Underworld Unleashed: Patterns of Fear #1 (1995)

Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey #1 (1996)

Showcase '96 #3: "Birds of a Feather" (1996)

Detective Comics #695 - #696 (1996)

Robin #30, #33 (1996)

Birds of Prey: Manhunt #1- #4 (1996)

Green Arrow #115 - #117 (1996 - 1997)

Birds of Prey: Revolution #1 (1997)

Nightwing #7 (1996)

Nightwing Annual #1 (1997)

Birds of Prey: Wolves #1 (1997)

Detective Comics #706 - #707 (1997)

Nightwing #½ (1997)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #32, #35 - #37 (1997)

Batman #547 (1997)

DC Universe Holiday Bash #2: "The Old Lane" (1997)

Nightwing/Huntress #3 (1998)

Nightwing #16, #18

Birds of Prey: Batgirl #1 (1998)

Cataclysm

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #73 (1998)

Batman #553 (1998)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #74 (1998)

Nightwing #20 (1998)

Detective Comics #721 (1998)

Robin #53 (1998)

Nightwing #24 (1998)

Oracle Joins the Justice League 

JLA #17 - #19 (1998)

JLA: Secret Files & Origins #2 (1998)

DC One Million #1 - #2 (1998)

JLA #1,000,000 (1998)

DC One Million #3 - #4 (1998)

JLA/Titans #1 - #3 (1998)

JLA #36 - #41 (1999 - 2000)

JLA: Secret Files & Origins #3 (2000)

Road to No Man’s Land

Robin #55 (1998)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #47 (1998)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #49 (1999)

Detective Comics #727 (1998)

Batman #562 (1999)

Robin #58 (1998)

Batman Chronicles #15: "Between Stars Above and Below" (1999)

Birds of Prey #1- #14 (1999 - 2000)

No Man’s Land

Batman: No Man's Land #1 (1999)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #83 (1999)

Batman #563 (1999)

Detective Comics #730 (1999)

Batman #565 (1999)

Detective Comics #732 (1999)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #54 - #55 (1999)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #119 (1999)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #87 (1999)

Batman #567 (1999) [Introduces Cassandra Cain, the second Batgirl and Oracle’s first protege.]

Detective Comics #734 (1999)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #120 (1999)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #88 (1999)

Detective Comics #735 (1999)

Batman #569 (1999)

Batman: Day of Judgment (1999)

Nightwing #35, #37 - #39 (1999)

Robin #71 (1999)

Batman #573 (2000)

Detective Comics #740 (2000)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #60 - #61 (2000)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #126 (2000)

Detective Comics #741 (2000)

Birds of Prey #15 - #19 (2000)

Batgirl #1 - #5 (2000)

Batman: Gotham City Secret Files & Origins (2000)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #64 - #65 (2000)

Batman: Gotham Knights #6 (2000)

Nightwing #44 (2000)

The Hunt for Oracle

Nightwing #45 (2000)

Birds of Prey #20 (2000)

Nightwing #46 (2000)

Birds of Prey #21 (2000)

Nightwing 80-Page Giant #1 (2000)

Birds of Prey #22 - #26 (2000 - 2001)

Batgirl #7, #9 - #10 (2000 - 2001)

Batman: Gotham Knights #12 (2001)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #72 - #74 (2001)

Officer Down

Robin #86 (2001)

Birds of Prey #27 (2001)

Catwoman #90 (2001)

Nightwing #53 (2001)

Detective Comics #754 (2001)

Birds of Prey #28 - #35 (2001)

Batgirl #14 (2001)

Batman #590 (2001)

Harley Quinn #6 - #7 (2001)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #80 - #82 (2001)

Batgirl #17 (2001)

Nightwing #55 - #58 (2001)

Harley Quinn #11 (2001)

Nightwing: Our Worlds at War #1 (2001)

Joker: Last Laugh

Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files #1 (2001)

Birds of Prey #36 (2001)

Batgirl #21 (2001)

Joker: Last Laugh #3 (2001)

Joker: Last Laugh #5 (2001)

Robin #95 (2001)

Joker: Last Laugh #6 (2002)

Nightwing #63 (2002)

Birds of Prey #37 - #38 (2002)

Robin #96 - #97 (2002)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #84 (2002)

Batgirl #22 - #23 (2002)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #88 - #90 (2002)

Batgirl: Secret Files & Origins (2002)

Bruce Wayne: Murderer? / Fugitive

Batgirl #24 (2002)

Nightwing #65 (2002)

Batman: Gotham Knights #25 (2002)

Birds of Prey #39 (2002)

Nightwing #66 (2002)

Batman: Gotham Knights #26 (2002)

Robin #99 (2002)

Birds of Prey #40 (2002)

Batman #600 (2002)

Batgirl #27 (2002)

Birds of Prey #43 (2002)

Batgirl #29 (2002)

Batman: Gotham Knights #30 (2002)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #91 (2002)

Batman #605 (2002)

Batgirl #25 - #26 (2002)

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #93 - #95 (2002)

Batgirl #30 (2002)

Birds of Prey #44 - #48 (2002)

Nightwing #71 - #73 (2002)

Batgirl #33 (2002)

Nightwing #75 (2003)

Batman: Family #3, #6, #8 (2003)

Birds of Prey #49 - #53 (2003)

Batgirl #35 - #37 (2003)

Nightwing #77 - #79 (2003)

Birds of Prey: Catwoman/Oracle (2003)

Batgirl #39 - #42 (2003)

Birds of Prey #54 - #55 (2003)

Nightwing #81 (2003)

Detective Comics #790 (2004)

Nightwing #83 - #89 (2003 - 2004)

Batgirl #45 - #54 (2003 - 2004)

Birds of Prey #56 - #74 (2002-2004) [Gail Simone’s iconic run on Birds of Prey begins with issue 56 and goes until 108. This is an absolute must-read for any Oracle/Barbara Gordon fan]

Birds of Prey: Secret Files & Origins (2003)

War Games

Detective Comics #797 (2004)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182 (2004)

Nightwing #96 (2004)

Batgirl #55 (2004)

Batman #631 (2004)

Detective Comics #798 (2004)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #183 (2004)

Nightwing #97 (2004)

Batman: Gotham Knights #57 (2004)

Catwoman #35 (2004)

Batman #632 (2004)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #184 (2004)

Nightwing #98 (2004)

Robin #131 (2004)

Batman: Gotham Knights #58 (2004)

Batgirl #57 (2004)

Catwoman #36 (2004)

Batman #633 (2004)

Birds of Prey #75 - #90 (2004 - 2006)

Batgirl #67 (2005)

Nightwing #117 (2006)

Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1 (2006)

Robin #148 (2006)

Birds of Prey #92 - #95 (2006)

52 #34 (2007)

Nightwing Annual #2 (2007) [Although this issue is all about Dick and Barbara’s relationship, I would not recommend reading it as it treats both Barbara and Dick’s ex Starfire/Koriand’r incredibly poorly.]

Hawkgirl #64 (2007)

Birds of Prey #96 - #108 (2007)

Black Canary Wedding Planner (2007)

Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special (2007)

Birds of Prey #109 - #123 (2007 - 2008)

Batgirl #2 - #3, #5 - #6 (2008)

Nightwing #150, #153 (2009)

Green Arrow and Black Canary #16 (2009)

Birds of Prey #124 - #127 (2009)

Oracle: The Cure #1 - #3 (2009)

Adventure Comics #516 - #518 (2010) [Appears in the backup feature “The Atom”]

Batgirl #1 - #12 (2009 - 2010)

Detective Comics #862 (2010) [Oracle appears in backup feature “The Question”]

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl (2010)

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Oracle (2010)

Birds of Prey #1 - #7 (2010 - 2011)

Batgirl #15 - #16 (2011)

Birds of Prey #8 - #10 (2011)

Batgirl #19 - #21 (2011)

Birds of Prey #11 - #13 (2011)

Batman Incorporated #8 (2011)

Detective Comics #872 - #873 (2011)

Detective Comics #879 - #881 (2011)

Batgirl #24 (2011)

Birds of Prey #14 - #15 (2011)

[nakouwolf]

The Alchemy of the Hearts, Part 13

Note: 13/13 FINALE part of the translation of the French fanfic L’Alchimie des Coeurs !

Parts of the story : 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13

Don’t be afraid to let me know if I can improve it in any way to make it feel like an english story as it’s not my mother tongue.

Summary : Cassandra found out she has a huge alchemy rate with Rapunzel and tried to avoid having to confess her feelings… but Rapunzel got her in a moment she can’t escape ♥

A really big thank you to my love @red-yellow-blue-crayon ♥ for proof-reading everything and for that gorgeous illustration of the ending, OH MON DIEU! And thank you all for reading it!

————–

~ ☼ ~

 The day was rather well advanced. Rapunzel and her parents had made several public appearances, parading in the streets to bring treats to the younger ones. The princess had sold some exclusive paintings for the event and had taken part on some outdoors activities who had been organized. Many letters had been exchanged, some of them addressed to the princess by many admirers. A tremendous banquet had also taken place inside the castle. The tables had been carefully decorated and the meal was perfect. The princess felt there was something missing though. Eugene’s presence wasn’t enough, even if he made her undeniably happy too. Cassandra was missing and her absence was a gaping hole in Rapunzel’s heart.

The time of the ball had come. Gathered on the main square where the princess had made her very first Kingdom Dance, the villagers were wholeheartedly having fun. The first part of the evening, composed with traditional couples, had been a success. Eugene had danced like a real prince. It was time to switch partners. The princess was about to rest— when suddenly she caught sight of her on the edge of the dance floor. Cassandra had come ! A wide smile beamed on Rapunzel’s features while she rushed towards her without thinking to squeeze her lady-in-waiting in her arms. The latter hadn’t taken the time to change clothes, still wearing her adventure outfit, probably having change her mind at the last minute not to disappoint her friend. Holding her tight against her heart, Rapunzel whispered :

-Thank you, Cass… Thank you for coming.

Patting her back, Cassandra answered with a more or less casual tone :

-Ah, I couldn’t have learned all those dancing steps for nothing ! And I wouldn’t want you to be sad on that day you love so much.

She wouldn’t have forgiven herself if she had disappointed her. She thought she knew what was best for Rapunzel but she had learned with time that Rapunzel was the only judge of her happiness. No one could get in the way of her feelings, her creativity, her freedom or her security. Better let her choose and cease torturing herself with too many questions.

The princess wasn’t the only one delighted : the bandmaster stamped with impatience at the idea to see them dancing again. Not wanting them to drag on the edge of the dancefloor, he slowly started the music. Cassandra slightly moved aside the princess with a little smile.

-Let’s go ?

Approving with a nod, Rapunzel took Cassandra’s hand and her shoulder, and the duo slid over the dancefloor. The princess’ joy was overflowing. Cassandra could see her beaming more than ever in her arms and wasn’t regretting for a moment to have come, even if she was focusing on her steps to avoid risking any overflow this time. The two friends enjoyed their dance for a moment before Rapunzel decided to bring up the topic they had avoided for so long. Her friend couldn’t run away from their dance. This time, nothing would prevent her from answering.

-Cass… I’ve never had your answer concerning Varian’s test…

The lady-in-waiting seemed irritated from the question and the princess bit her lip, fearing to have ruined the moment by going to far ; Cassandra turned her gaze away from the dance floor for a few seconds before diving back into Rapunzel’s one.

-Rapunzel, it’s just a machine, that doesn’t mean anything at all ! Is it really important for you to know that ?

Rapunzel nodded in approval. It wasn’t the moment to go back. Cassandra looked away, resigned.

-Alright. I…

The warrior sighed. She focused for a moment on a more complicated dance step, then resumed in a sigh :

-Varian’s machine found me 95% of alchemy with you.

She didn’t dare look into Rapunzel’s eyes right away, trying to find an excuse among the flagstones of the town square where the ball was taking place. She finally tried to justify herself :

-But you know, it doesn’t matter. It’s—

She interrupted herself when her gaze met the one of the princess again. There was something new in her that froze her on the spot for a moment. Rapunzel took her hand to guide the dance. After a few seconds, Cassandra authorized her to breath again and the princess answered :

-Of course, it matters, Cass. I’ve had the same result.

Cassandra slightly recoiled. She already knew the princess had made the test and that she was having feelings for her, she read it in her journal, but hearing it out loud was destabilizing. She quickly came around though, going back to the dance in silence, thinking about what she could say. She decided to confess the truth.

-I… stumbled upon your journal, two days ago, when I wanted to confess to you what I was feeling. I’ve read that you made the test and was torn between Eugene and…

She didn’t finish her sentence, not daring to consider concretely that option, letting it dissipate in the atmosphere. She proceeded, lowering her tone, as if venturing on that field was painful :

-I’ve chose to go to the lagoon to take some distances. I didn’t want to get in the way of Eugene and you. I thought it was the best thing to do, until you found me and asked me to be here today…

Rapunzel received the confession in silence, focusing on the dance. The silk dresses were twirling around them, cutting them from the rest of the world. Cassandra hesitated for a moment, enjoying the dance, before going on into a breath :

-I wasn’t sure about anything anymore, but I didn’t want to disappoint you. Knowing you were sad today was a burden too heavy to wear.

Rapunzel finally offered her a little smile.

-I am not, she simply answered.

Cassandra smiled back, comforted.

The music escalated bit by bit and the dancers accelerated the pace around them. Reassured, preferring to let the questions suspended, the two women then focused on the music and lived the present moment, swirling cradled by the notes, forgetting the prohibitions, the court and society laws, the possible brakes to their relationship. It was just them and the music guiding them. And probably the bandmaster who was wiping the corner of his eyes with an handkerchief, moved to see them dancing with so much complicity. Throughout his whole career, he had rarely seen more convincing duo than those two women. He tried to maintain the melody for as long as possible, but the dancers as the musicians grew tired little by little. The music piece came to an end, and just as during the rehearsal, Cassandra delicately tipped back Rapunzel. This time, she had a perfect restraint and didn’t left the princess’ gaze. It’s the heiress to the throne who, slowly cupping the warrior’s cheek, unbend to kiss her. The gesture was quick and delicate – she just softly brushed the ruddy lips of her lady-and-waiting. Cassandra vividly blushed, not daring to move, completely caught off guard. Raiponce let a giggle escaped her while her friend was pulling her back on her feet. The princess strongly squeezed her in her arms and Cassandra held her back, hiding the bright red of her cheeks in the princess’ dress. The next dance was launched, but Rapunzel took Cassandra’s hand to lead her towards the docks where they sat on a pontoon so they could talk in peace.

Cassandra felt her pulse beating fast. Her breath was short and she still wasn’t realizing what just happened. Rapunzel just kissed her. Rapunzel. Kissed. Her. She was unable to assimilate the information, snatching a giggle to the princess who blushed herself.

-Sorry, Cass, I’ve been wanting to correct that moment for quite some time !

-It was unexpected, she admitted, laughing. But I won’t complain !

She wouldn’t openly admit it but she had dream of that rather often. She was wondering if she was still dreaming, asleep aside the lagoon, but Rapunzel’s hand over hers was very real. They were looking at some lanterns floating above the water together. There were far fewer than on the princess’ birthdays, but the citizens of Corona allowed themselves to launch some lanterns during the Day of Hearts celebration aswell. They were feeling fine, craddled by the fresh breeze and the calm of the night. Rapunzel knew that they would still have to face some trials before being able to fully enjoy their relationship though. She would have to talk to Eugene, then her parents, and probably announce it to the people of Corona. But she was ready to face all those trials if what she had to win was Cassandra by her side. Tenderized by that thought, she came closer to her lady-in-waiting and rested her head on her shoulder, looking at the dark water shining with numerous colorful reflects. Under the surface are often hidden many treasures, that’s what she had discovered with Cassandra. Under her cold attitude, a heart was vividly throbbing, beating for her. She had always protected her and would do it forever.

While the festivities were in full swing and the singing and cries of joy reached them from afar, the two lovers remained on the docks, enjoying their first night together.

And for the first time in her life, Cassandra fully savored the Day of the Hearts.

Wonderful illustration by my gorgeous love @red-yellow-blue-crayon​ , by far my favorite crayon, for sure! ♥ It was such an honor to receive your help for that translation, m’amour, thank you again for absolutely everything ♥

[ringneckedpheasant]

answered a bunch of oc questions about Kiernan on twitter but I’m putting them here in one post for easy access later. very long post under the cut

1. How easy is it to make them angry?

Oh, extremely. Kiernan has really bad emotional regulation and struggles a lot with anger problems. It doesn’t take the form of him getting physical with anyone, and he rarely raises his voice, but he often lashes out at people and says things he regrets. 

2. Do they believe in soulmates? 

No, I don’t think so

3. Do they have any pet peeves? 

Most of the things that bother Kiernan are on a larger scale than “pet peeves” (Cassandra’s defense of the Chantry, for instance), but he has sensory overload issues and often gets overwhelmed and annoyed/angry when things are loud and he has no control over it

4. Do they have a happy place? Somewhere they go in their head to relax? 

I think the thing that brings him the most comfort/peace is reliving good memories with his sister, or thinking about being reunited with her once his role as Inquisitor is done. 

5. At what stage of their life were they the happiest? 

A lot of Kiernan’s life has just been varying degrees of bad, but I think the year or so pre-Inquisition would’ve been the best for him. He never really settled into Clan Lavellan the way that Rhian did, but he’d been there long enough that he didn’t feel like a complete outsider anymore and was working on trying to be more sociable and outgoing when the conclave happened and everything went to shit

6. At what stage of their life were they the least happy? 

Probably ages 7-13. Coming into his magic and being made more acutely aware of his transness because of puberty were both miserable experiences for him, and his mother made both of those things much harder to deal with. 

7. At a bar/tavern/pub, are they more likely to buy someone a drink, or have someone buy them a drink?

The latter, but it’s usually a “please stop brooding and come socialize for the love of the maker” type of drink, rather than someone hitting on him. 

8. Have they ever broken any bones? How? 

Yes, it’s probably happened more than once but I know for sure that he ended up with a cracked rib at the hands of a templar at some point.

9. Do they have any memories/experiences they’d rather forget? 

Honestly I would say everything from birth to age 13 qualifies for that. 

10. What is their favorite memory from their childhood?

In the little fiction I’ve created in my head Anders is trans and Kiernan and Rhian both met him while they were still in Kirkwall--the circumstances leading to it were less than pleasant, but Anders being the first trans person Kiernan had (knowingly) talked to, and the first person to show him that his magic could be used for healing and protection is probably the best thing that happened to Kiernan in his childhood. He also has fond memories of Rhian stealing sweets for him. 

11. Do they have a “type” they are usually attracted to?

I was going to say no but on further thought his “type” is, broadly, older men who are either very skilled at something or very dedicated to a cause/ideals, or both--he romanced Solas, and has also had crushes on Iron Bull, Fenris, and Anders (the last two being when he met them post-inquisition and was like 29). He Likes A Competent Man. 

12. Do they have any favorite possessions? 

Josie gave him a really nice bag as a gift--the kind that works kind of like a thigh holster--and he's had it for Years. I don't know if it was meant as a personal gift or just something she was giving her boss, but Kiernan treasures it

13. Do they have any tattoos? 

He has his vallaslin (I’m still undecided as to whether or not he would let Solas remove it), but I think he’d definitely want more tattoos. I like the idea of full body vallaslin, and that definitely would’ve been something he’d at least considered. 

14. Do they have any piercings?

No, and I don’t think he wants any. 

15. What is their dream house like?

G-d who knows. I don’t know if he’d want a house because of how long he spent with the Dalish, or if that would make him averse to settling in one place. I’m inclined to say the latter. 

16. What is something about them that people would not expect just by looking at them?

That he’s actually very tender-hearted. Kiernan has the worst case of resting bitch face in existence and he dresses in a way that’s meant to be intimidating and offputting. 

17. How good are they at choosing gifts for others?

Oh, very bad. I think he’s one of those people who will remember you saying you liked some random ass thing and then he assumes that if he gives it to you, it’ll be a good gift, but really you didn’t like it all that much and by the time he gives it to you it’s not really relevant to your interests anymore… he’s doing his best but his best isn’t that great

18. Do they have a certain skill that they’re particularly proud of?

Oof I don’t know. It’s not really a “skill”, but maybe the fact that he’s very Scrappy and more capable of holding his own in a physical fight than someone might expect from a mage. 

19. How would a stranger they’d just met describe them?

Kind of scary, kind of weird, has no social graces 

20. How would a close friend they’ve known for a long time describe them?

This would require Kiernan to have close friends, 

Genuinely though it’s hard to know since he never got close to most of the Inner Circle, and the person who’s known him the longest is just his sister. Maybe: surprisingly compassionate underneath his hard exterior, dedicated to his beliefs regardless of how they cost him in his relationships with other people, worth being patient with and taking the time to get to know, even though it can be an arduous process. 

[yourdeepestfathoms]

not to get childish and talk about Tangled: The Series but I just reread Darkness of Dragons and the ending gave me such a great AU idea that I HAD to share. So uhhh sorry that this isn’t SIX BUT— (also if any of my followers are into this series....hit me up 👀)

So I haven’t gotten to the evil Cassandra season yet, but I know what happens because I accidentally saw spoilers while going through the tag, so sorry if this sounds stupid or not accurate. ANYWAY imagine if instead of “dying”, the youth magic in Rapunzel’s hair comes to life one last time and turns Cass into a child (9-10 possibly so she’s not just a doddling todder). So when Raps runs down to the area where Cass fell, she, instead, sees this small, frightened, confused child with electric blue roots in her raven black hair.

Little Cass is clearly very confused and doesn’t appear to have much memory of what happened or what she did. She’s just so scared and hurt and anxious that Raps can’t help but have pity on her—she would have pity on her as a child or not, but this just makes her heart her even more. So she gently scoops Cass up and shushes her, and poor, touch starved, neglected Cass just clings to her tightly, despite having very hazy memories of who this lady is.

That’s when Raps makes the decision that she’s keeping Cass and that she’s going to raise her right.

However, it isn’t all fun and games and parenthood montages. The people of Corona (rightfully) despise Cass, even when she’s a child. They also hate that their princess is taking in such a horrible monster, and poor Cass has no idea why she’s being called such cruel things and getting rocks thrown at her. But Raps doesn’t stand down and tells them that the child is under the kingdom’s protection (much to the Royal Guards’ dismay—especially the head of the guard, who can’t even look at his ex-daughter anymore and essentially disowns her from his life). But at least Eugene and the queen come around!

So Cass can’t go anywhere without being glared at or whispered about, and to make things worse, after a few weeks, she starts to have these dreams—dreams of memories that aren’t her own. Or so she thinks.

As time goes on, Cass’ dreams become vivid nightmares that happen almost every night. They’re filled with the clashing of metal and blood, so much blood and the huge shadow of a gnarled woman and the silhouette of a girl and a sickening blue glow. They make her jolt awake and thrash in her bed and scream and cry until the entire castle seems to wake up and hate her even more. They leave her with splitting headaches and ringing in her ears, and soon she starts to evade sleep entirely to avoid the nightmares and annoying everyone else. And this plan works for a day or two, but then the dreams start to leak into reality.

Cass will get these flashes of memories—horrible, bright, painful visions of things she can’t understand and doesn’t want to understand, and they make her crumple on the ground because they hurt so much. They’ll happen at random or sometimes they’re triggered by certain things, but she just can’t keep up. And right as she begins to deteriorate, a voice calls out to her.

It...sort of sounds like her voice, just...older. And the voice tells her that this- this body she’s in- isn’t her. It’s not the “real her”, and something very important was stolen from her and she needs to get it back. Cass doesn’t understand, but then everything finally comes rushing back to her and she’s horrified by what she’s done. The voice (Moonstone!Cassandra, or just the old Cassandra...or perhaps even a sick illusion of Mother Gothel) tries to calm her and says she can fix this if she retrieved the Moonstone, but poor Cass is too overwhelmed. She doesn’t want this, she wants to live a normal life with her new mother and she wants to be good, so she hides and fights what’s going on...until she can’t anymore.

so yeah it’s just a silly little thing lol