#And also about feeling like a monster and a weapon deep down with no chance at/right for redemption fuuuuck

[zarafey]

Noooo through reading a fanfic I was forced to reevaluate a relationship in the one I'm writing and now I'm just seeing so many more parallels between those 2 characters and fuck im already putting so many characters together and now there's ANOTHER ONE

[dailyadventureprompts]

Dungeon: How Grief Blooms

After the tragic death of his wife, the halfling Earl of Eastbrook has become a recluse, abstaining from social functions, seldom seen in public, and conducting much of his concerns through various agents. Agents like you, paid well so that you conduct the Earl’s business promptly and without asking too many questions. However, after some weeks of gruntwork and strange favours, you can’t help the feeling that something rotten is going on at the Eastbrook estate.

Adventure Hooks:

Most of the party’s assignments are doled out by a Mr. Moiler, a functionary of the Earl’s who always seems to be under the weather and insists that they have their meetings while he takes lunch at a local tavern. Presumptuous and frequently unpleasant, Moiler is quick with the money when he has proof the work’s been done not wanting to waste any more of his finite time with the party than he has to.  It’s during one of these meetings that the functionary begins choking and coughing like he’s going to hack up a lung, and right there on the dinner table spits up a mass of rotten plant matter that bears an uncomfortable resemblance to a human hand. While the party is paralyzed with shock, the limb begins to skitter away, barely recovered Moiler demanding that they catch it before it escapes or the other inn patrons see it.

Eastbrook has many concerns that need tending to: Mines that must be checked on, merchants that must be negotiated with, monsters that must be driven off from tenant lands. Then there the more unusual jobs: travelling to nearby towns and escorting a member of the royal horticultural society to the Eastbrook estate without ever being invited in themselves, having a stern chat with a local priest who’s rabblerousing about all the body-snatchers that’ve been plaguing local cemeteries lately. These odd jobs pay the best, but there’s only so much weirdness the party can take right? ... Right?

Dressed fancy and forced to leave their weapons at home, the party are finally given a chance of meeting their employer when tasked with escorting him to a social function at which he needs to show some muscle. They’re given a very brief impression of the earl: tired eyes, fingers are stained with green and soil as if his servants plucked him out of the garden and threw a bit of finery over his thinning frame. Leaving them to attend whatever business he left his secluded estate for, the party are approached by a young woman with a knowing smile and a lot of interesting questions about Eastbrook. If the party are willing to do a little snooping on her behalf, she’d be ever so grateful, and is sure she can arrange some work for them in the future should  their current arrangement fall through.

Background: Before the death of his wife, Earl Wennley had a deep and abiding love for growing things. Taking far more interest in the upkeep and administration of his tenant lands than any of his peers, the earl would forgo social functions and ditch his noble finery to lend a hand when there was planting or fieldwork to be done, simply to feel the dark earth beneith his fingers.

His wife Ren was a firebrand and world traveller, and originally began courting the earl by brining him exotic flowers from distant lands to cultivate in his hothouse. They were different people who wanted different things from their lives, but they also wanted eachother, and that was enough for love to take root between them.

That was before the sickness caught up to lady Ren, one of those bitter hereditary things that lurks around in the family tree like a viper. In a matter of months it claimed Ren of Eastbrook and took Wennley’s every joy with it, but not before he discovered that one of the flowers she’d brought him was thought to have restorative properties, claimed by some occult scholars to be able to even be able to resurrect the dead.

Thus began Eastbrook’s decent down a dark road, cultivating the plant’s growth in his lover’s dirt-packed casket, fetching more cadavers for its trailing roots to feed off of while trying to bring its many strange flowers to fruit.  The process has taken years, resulting in spasmodic gasps of resurrection, twitches and mutterings, but no true return of the vitality or wholeness that haunts Eastbrook’s memories.

Further Adventures:

a sick vitality has spread throughout the Eastbrook estate, twisting the plants he once took such judicious care of and bringing forth strange hybrids and mutations. While most of this dangerous flora remains on the estate, a few have spread their seed over subsequent seasons and ended up popping up in surrounding lands. The disruption caused by such plants may inadvertently put the party on their employer’s trail.  

What poor Wennley cannot know is that his lover wasn’t merely taken from him by chance, but by the insidious will of Zuggtmoy, demon queen of despair and decay.  Eastbrook was unwittingly chosen as a saint of Zuggtmoy, who now awaits the moment she is summoned into Ren’s resurrected body to walk the world of mortals and enjoy the people’s sorrow first hand. 

Many of the Eastbrook estate staff are sick, some fungal infection that’s taken up residence in their lungs and produces a purple-green rash they’re all too quick to conceal. This sickness makes them dosile and unquestioning, and is spread by Moiler, a demonic agent of Zuggtmoy in disguise, who was likewise the one to slip Eastbrook the particular texts that hinted at the flower’s potential uses. Should any of the staff fall ( or be slain by Moiler should he be discovered) their bodies will rise as mould covered undead.

[dcfanficsgallore]

Didn't Plan for This: Chapter 3

Wonder Woman x Demigod!Fem!Reader

Warnings: Guns, punches, mention of blood

4.9k words

Chapter 2

Masterlist

Summary: This is your chance to impress the Justice League, you hope everything goes well…

A/N: Merry Chritsmas! I did not think this would be out before the end of the year. I discovered I have a VERY hard time imagining things that aren't conversations. So a fight of this scale was SUPER hard. I'll probably avoid fights like this in the future. But still I hope you enjoyed it. Drawings of the machines and monsters are coming in the future <3

I opened my eyes when the machine stopped glowing and sure enough, we were back in New York. As soon as we got out I realized we were standing in a different part of the city ‘multiple teles so you can always have a way out, nice!’ I thought. 

Diana looked at me with a serious expression on her face.

- What do you know of the Intergang? - she asked 

- I know that they are bad, at least that’s what the TV news says - I racked my brain for information about this gang but my knowledge about the criminal world was not the best.

- That’s all you need to know about them, but also, that they have access to weapons that are not from our world so we need to approach carefully - she said picking me up for another flight, I noticed that she said we needed to approach with care but I knew she meant that I needed to be careful - You might want to think strategies to fight big guys with big guns - she looked down at me and smiled.

- Do we have backup? - I asked, needing all the information I could get my hands on. This was a pretty big step up from my building falling and I didn’t have any plans that accounted for that. 

She told me we were going to meet up with Batman and Cyborg a little bit outside of the fight, happening in a secluded part of Central Park, so that we could strategize but that Superman and Flash were already fighting a few of them, as the Integang apparently had some kind of earth minions that were heading towards the city and meant harm to civilians.

She also told me that Intergang had a couple of people that were the “Brains” of the operation - she used air quotes while we were flying and that was a scare that we laughed off - so without them the gang would likely scatter but that would mean they would guard the hell out of them.

As we approached the rooftop that Batman and Cyborg were on, my nerves were going through the roof. Diana must’ve felt my heartbeat on her chest when I held onto her a little more tightly, she whispered in my ear.

- Don’t worry, you’ll do fine, just talk to them like you talk to me and they’ll treat you like a peer. - she said as a way to calm me down, which worked. Her accent and the low tone of her voice made for a great tranquilizer.

- You're probably right - I said, taking in a deep breath and silently praying to Athena for strength and the ability to not get tongue-tied in front of earth’s protectors.

We landed 8.3 feet away from them and immediately I could feel Batman glaring at me and Cyborg studying every aspect about me. He was about to say something when Diana spoke first.

- This is Y/N, she is my friend. I have seen her first-hand act like a hero out of her own accord, intentionally putting herself in danger so that she could save others. I trust her. - This seemed to be enough to silence them both Batman sending me one last distrusting glare before returning his attention to the Robot-Man pulling up a detailed hologram of the area that the fight was taking place in, complete with little Earth-Warriors and little frozen miniatures of Superman and Flash. 

Looking from the building to the part of the park they were fighting - a couple of miles down the building - the two heroes seemed to be holding their own, but a big detail that was both in the hologram and painfully obvious from where I was standing was the huge machine pumping out the Earthlings. It looked like a 20 foot tall virus with a cannon spitting out Earthlings as they were created, when it did, the ground shook. - less than the earthquake from a few days back - It was clear it was taking materials from the earth to make these things. I turned back to the group just in time to see Diana receiving some kind of order from Batman, she looked displeased but nodded. When I got close to group she said

- I’m gonna go try and slow those things down, they are not as big as last time. - she said quietly - Apparently the giant machine is made from something truly unbreakable so our only chance is you three coming up with a way to stop the machine from digging to the center of the earth making those dirt-people. I trust you all will be able to do so without taking too much time. - She looked at me and that look told me that she trusted the other two not to shun me out, so I nodded, trusting her heart.

Diana’s look hardened until I realized that was her Wonder Woman look, she was on a mission, and no one was going to stop her. She flew towards the fight and Batman turned to me.

- Wonder Woman might trust you with her heart, but I judge a person based on their brain. Who are you? - His look compelled me to say everything about me and I wondered if he truly had no powers as everyone said.

- I’m Y/N L/N, a daughter of Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, War and Battle Strategy. I am the Chief of Security at my company though my boss doesn’t know of my heritage. Only my best friend knows my secret. - I said looking into his eyes so he knew I was telling the truth.

I left out the part of me sending the Hall of Justice a mountain of plans and contingencies as I didn’t know if they had ever seen them. Apparently Cyborg had other ideas, because when I stopped he said.

- She’s the one who’s been sending plans to make the world safe for so long - He spoke looking into space, either looking into the League’s records or not wanting to see the glare I sent him.

Batman ‘hmm’d and just nodded turning back to the holograph, I had done well… Yes! I thought to myself.

- First things first - he said not looking away from the hologram - Cyborg won’t be able to get too close, they have tech that overrides his systems, making him unable to use his robot parts - Cyborg looked at me and nodded sadly. - So our plan will have to work without him to back us up.

- So… Can you see who is controlling the machine? Do they have a base? Or a control panel? - I asked hopeful to get a weak point that we could target

- Yes. - Batman said - The machine must be controlled by Ugly Mannheim, the leader, he’s holed up somewhere around there but my and Cyborg’s scanners aren’t picking him up. But he must be close enough so he can still order his men around and get a lookout on the operation - He said Mannheim’s name without an ounce of irony so that must be what he goes by all the time. Poor guy…

I thought through all the options and looked at the hologram, noticing a distinct lack of goons in one flank. It was small enough that they wouldn’t notice but worrying enough so that it would take just a single soldier to- 

- There! - I said pointing at the space. We needed to find the remote but until we could pinpoint the leader, our focus had to be on the goons and Earthlings. - Can you ask Flash to go through there? He should be able to get behind them and split their attention long enough so we can make more holes in their line, that should make them easier to dispose of.

Batman and Cyborg stared at the map, looking for mistakes on my plan, I know it. When they seemed to not find anything to complain about, Batman put a finger to his mask and said through his comm.

- Flash, I need you to go through the hole they have in their defenses a few yards out from your position. - He stayed silent and I assumed Flash was saying an acknowledgement.

I looked out from the edge of the building and saw that the goons were starting to look around more, meaning that their attention was split between the supers in front and behind them. The Earthlings didn't seem to care, only seeming concerned with getting to the city, but Superman was taking care of them.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw Cyborg holding a little earpiece

- It’s one of our communication devices, that way you don’t have to wait for the Bat to say your plan and maybe butcher it. - He said with a smile, I smiled back and put the device on my ear.

Immediately I was able to hear the battle. We weren’t losing, but not making progress. The goons being taken care of was all well and good, but the machine was still pumping Earthlings out and making the city shake more and more. Nothing like the shake that almost destroyed my building, which was starting to worry me.

I was going back to the map when I realized Batman was not here anymore and Cyborg gave me a sympathetic look

- He does that, but he’s right there - He pointed to the mini-batman on the map.

- Oh, okay. Did he tell you his plan - I asked, but the shake of his head told me this was gonna be difficult. Looking at the trajectory told me that his target was the machine, he might want to study it before trying something big. But the monsters coming out of it might prove to be a challenge for the Dark Knight.

- He’s gonna run into the earth-guys - Cyborg stated. Itching to go down and help.

- Batman, seven Earthlings right ahead. You’re gonna run into them in seconds. - I said into the comm device

- Earthlings? - I heard what I thought was Flash saying and chuckle - I like it. Who is the new girl?

- Y/N - I heard Diana say - She’s a good planner, I suggest you all listen to her. And I also like Earthlings - She chuckled before being cut-off by what I can only assume was a dirt punch.

- Better than the Bat? - A voice that could only belong to Superman said, it was pretty obvious that he wanted Diana to say it. - You know he has files on all of us and the best way to take out each of us - He chuckled, I didn’t that sounded like major trust issues. But they all laughed along so I assumed this was old news and none of them believed they needed those plans.

- I don’t know if she is as paranoid! - Diana tossed it back, chuckling, everyone’s spirits seemed to be uplifted until…

big earthquake. No, not again

- Look out! - I heard flash say and looking at the map it seemed that the Bat was on top of the machine.

I could see it for a second as the building we were on started to crumble and I only had a moment to notice the map before Cyborg picked me up and flew us down. But the quake must’ve knocked something into place for us because I saw someone that was not with the League somewhat close to me and Cyborg, he had to have felt it too because I looked at him when we landed and he immediately knew what I was going to do.

- I can’t go with you. - He said maybe expecting me to wait for the others but that plan was thrown out the window when…

A roar, an actual roar

A creature literally burst through the machine, that was one problem dealt with, but now the beast was bigger than the machine and also angry, whatever Batman did solved one problem but created another. The creature started to make its way towards the city before being pushed back by superman.

- I’m going - I said, he nodded. I touched my ear - Diana, Cyborg and I think we saw the one controlling all this and I’m going after them. - she started to say no but I cut her off - You guys are busy with the monster, whoever has the remote is busy making the creature fight you guys, this is our best chance. - I got her to agree with me and I started to run to where I saw this person.

I knew I got them when I started to hear the cursing and rustling of leaves. I immediately went to a crouch and began creeping towards the sound.

- Stupid heroes - a female voice said - The boss won’t be happy when he hears that his machine was destroyed. - she said.

- Shouldn’t we call him so he can get us out of here? - Another voice said. It was a male voice and he seemed nervous. I couldn’t blame him

- Not before we make the Big Boy crush the heroes - she said, and that was all I needed to hear before pulling out my enchanted dagger and doing something I shouldn’t have done without practice.

We Athena kids have weird abilities, having a good knowledge of distance without a ruler is just one of them, it’s also the one I’m best at. Another one that I have been practicing is being able to “see” through an owl’s eyes, it’s not seeing per se but more, using the owl’s perception of the place to be aware of my surroundings. But saying I can see, while easier, would be a lie.

I also say I have been practicing but that doesn’t mean I’m good at it, it usually ends with me having a nose bleed and being very aware of some rats on the alley behind my house.

But this time it had to be different, I saw an owl on top of the tree I was hiding behind, she must have a nest there and didn’t seem to be afraid of the strange people on her turf.

I took a deep breath and concentrated, imagining myself on top of the tree and seeing the intruders on my turf, I stopped listening through my ears and concentrated on the voices of these strangers that should leave.

I became aware of three people around me, one behind my tree that gave me a sense of familiarity and two others in front of my home, they shouldn’t be here, I remembered seeing them get here after leaving a strange smoking bush. The woman, tall with red hair, seemed angry with the muscly, tall man but their fighting stopped as soon as the big Earth-Man burst through the strangest and biggest bug I’ve ever seen. The man got a box with a huge antenna out of the bush and started fiddling with it, the woman telling him to crush the heroes before my nose started bleeding. Wait, that’s not the owl’s thoughts!

My nose started bleeding and I lost my concentration but I already had everything I needed, so I got ready to jump out of my hiding place. They were alone, which was weird but I wasn’t gonna question my good luck.

As soon as I jumped out I immediately threw my magical dagger at the controller so they couldn’t make the monster hurt the heroes anymore. I jumped on top of the brute and using my weight brought him down, crossing my legs on his neck hopefully cutting his airway, he seemed surprised to be brought down by a woman smaller than in such little time but he quickly got his thoughts together and reached for my legs but using my hands I reached for his wrist and twisted it around, making him scream.

After the initial shock wore off, the red headed woman started to pull out her gun, I noticed that and started to reach for my dagger still stuck to the controller, it was about 3 meters away from me and I had no time to dislodge it from the machine. So I just threw the whole thing at her, using all my strength it hit her on her head bringing her down, but she was still not out.

The man was still trying to get off of him but his efforts had been slowing down since I broke his wrist, to speed up this process I gave him a well placed punch on the temple knocking him out. 

Quickly jumping onto my feet I grabbed his… Gun? It looked like a gun but not any caliber I’ve seen. It didn’t have a magazine so I couldn’t see if it was loaded, it was decorated with the same red details on black metal that the giant machine had. I didn’t have much time to study it when the woman started to get up, a cut on her forehead from where my improvised club got her, I pointed the gun at her and said.

- Stand down Manheim - It was a guess but she seemed to be in charge and maybe Batman got her gender wrong.

She looked at me and laughed

- Ugly ain’t here, he’s back at the base - she gave a glance towards the controller with the dagger inside it.

- How do I make the giant stand down? - I asked as the battle continued behind me, I refused to take my eyes off of this woman?

- Why should I tell you? - she said with a smirk that made my blood boil.

Just as I was about to respond she reached around her back and shot at me, I ducked and the shot hit the tree behind me, taking a chunk off of it and leaving a smoking hole behind.

She took the opportunity to start running away, with me taking off right at her heels, I thought about shooting her but after seeing what this thing had done to the tree I didn’t feel comfortable shooting her without it being fatal. But then inspiration struck just as we turned a corner and I saw a very big branch on a tree, right as she ran under it I shot it, pinning her down as the branch fell on top of her, knocking her gun away from her hand.

- Now, will you tell me how to make the giant Earthling stop? - I asked her, crouching down to be at eye level 

She glared me but I kept my gaze sturdy, eventually she looked down to the ground and said

- You could never control it without the device that you broke - she said in a low voice.

- Stay here, I’ll be right back - I said making my way back to the device 

- Please, take your time - she yelled while I ran back

When I got to the spot where I had my fight I saw that the controller wasn’t really broken, even with the knife I threw at it, it looked like it was regenerating from the scuffle. I pulled my dagger out and it quite clearly repaired itself from the damage. The brute was still passed out but I still tied him up with some vines generously donated by my owl friend.

When I got back the red head was very surprised to see the controller in pristine shape.

- How did you… - she started but I cut her off.

- How do I make it stop? - I used my most dangerous look.

- I don’t know… - she said gulping - we were only told what buttons makes the machine and the Mineral Soldiers ‘Go’ not how to stop it - I groaned 

- That’s just great! - I said a little too angrily, making her cower a little, before getting an idea - What buttons makes it go?

- Oh you press that and hold the lever in the direction you want it to go - She showed me and it was super close to how you usually drive a car in a game, better for me I guess  - What are you going to do?

- It’s a little dirty, I’m thinking it could a swim in the lake - I said smirking

- NO! You can’t! - She said, panicking a little. She started to shake under the log that pinned her down.  - My boss will kill me! 

- Maybe I could have a talk with him if you tell me where he is. I’m sure he’ll listen to reason - I responded, more focused in making the giant Earthling take a dive.

- You would die before ever getting to see him. - She continued to try and get out from under her branch. - I’m gonna kill you myself as soon as I get out of here

I stopped listening to her, concentrating entirely in turning the giant to sludge. The lake became closer to the giant, the League having stopped their assault on the thing when it became clear its primary target wasn’t the city anymore.

Once it stepped into the water it very quickly started to become smaller until the lake started to overflow with all the mud and minerals that made up the Earthling.

- Y/N the Earthling just took a dive, literally - I heard Flash say - Do you know what happened?

- It’s best if you all get over here, it’ll be easier to explain - I said letting out a huge sigh while looking over at the strange woman that was still screaming about my death while making no progress on the large piece of wood on top of her.

After I finished my explanation of the events, Batman and the Flash rounded the two crooks up while Diana and I went over to check out the technological bush that hid them from both Batman and Cyborg, Superman flew around the park and city to make sure nobody was injured too much from the earthquake that destroying the machine caused.

As Diana and I approached the mechanical bush she started look at me more, before saying:

- You took down two intergang members by yourself, knocked one down, trapped the other and led the giant to its doom? 

I blushed hard and shrugged

- I mean, it all happened so fast I feel like I wasn’t even in control. Just reacting to everything. I also had a little help from the owl that lives here. - I smiled shyly

- Still, you had the guts to go up against two hardened criminals and their dirt monster with only a knife and your wits? You are a true warrior. - she smiled proudly and I could see a little admiration in her eyes. 

- She told her goon to kill you, all of you, I couldn’t let that happen. - I told her a little exasperated - Not when we still have a date to finish. - I finished throwing a smile.

She giggled.

- I have to say, I didn’t think this was how our date was going to go, but I’m glad you didn’t shy away from a battle, especially one so close to home.

- New York won’t be my home for long. But still, I owe it to the city - She looked like she was going to ask what I meant by that but we got to the place the two members were using to duck the League’s scanners.

It looked like a… I don’t actually know what on earth it was, never seen anything like it. The best way to describe it would be a large cube hastily hidden with branches and leaves. I had a big crack on the side and it seemed that the perp was a particularly large durian, I didn’t even know those came from trees. 

I looked at Diana to see if she recognized the thing but her expression told me nothing, so I just shrugged and went in.

Going inside didn’t help with my confusion, there was a console with many buttons and levers that I was not brave enough to press. The walls were made of the same weird black metal the controller was made of and the red details were abundant, there was a cracked screen in front of the console that flickered with images of the outside. In english on a little screen on the console it said: “hull damaged turning off camouflage”. And what I assume was the same thing but in an alien language right next to it.

- We should leave - Diana said abruptly 

- What! Why? 

- This is apocoliptikan tech highly dangerous, you should not be here. WE should not be here. - she started to usher me out.

- What does that mean? Why are you so scared? 

- It means those two are working for someone far more powerful than you can imagine, this is probably not even the full power of the machine we destroyed. It was most likely a prototype.

- A prototype capable of causing massive earthquakes? Who can do such a thing? - I asked, as we met up with Flash, Batman and Cyborg who could get near us now with the machine destroyed.

- We don’t know. - Batman said simply.

- What we know is that my tech comes from the same place, that’s why I had to stay or else we’d risk me going berserk on all of us - Cyborg explained.

- What we can do is take all of this tech to Star Labs, so they can study it - Flash said picking up the remote from the ground

- Your job here is done Y/N. You have impressed us with your wit and battle prowess. - Batman said, making me blush very hard. By the looks of the others, compliments aren’t usually given out by the Bat.

- Y-yeah rookie, you did very well in taking down both of them by yourself - Cyborg said in a stupor probably caused by Batman’s surge of compliments

- All right guys, give her space. She must be tired from having just beaten up two hardened criminals by herself - Diana said, starting to pull me away from the group.

- One more thing - Batman said walking up to us - If you ever want to get into this life, I’m sure Wonder Woman would be willing to show you the ropes. And when you’re ready, you call this number - He gave me a card that was all blank except for a phone number in the middle.

At this point, being so close to Diana and having Batman try and initiate me into the superhero life. I couldn’t trust my mouth to not say something stupid so I just nodded.

- Y/N, would you like to go to your place? - Diana whispered in my ear and I nodded again, feeling us take off and seeing the guys start to get smaller all I could think was how insane all this was.

While we were flying, I held onto Diana and stayed quiet. It was comfortable silence, just me, her, and the sounds of the city below us. I lived quite far away from Central Park so the consequences of the quakes started to disappear as we got closer to my apartment. 

When we got there she put me down in front of the door and said

- You’re delivered… - She chuckled awkwardly 

- Yeah, would you like to come in? - I asked without thinking - I mean… If you want to use the bathroom or something, I know you didn’t when we were in Greece nor when we were in the battle, I guess. - Nailed it!

She laughed and said

- No thank you, I’m sure I’m needed back at the site of the fight. But know that I had a very good time on our date. - She said smiling

- I-I also had a good time, I never felt like I did when I was fighting those two. The rush is…

- Nothing like you ever felt before. - She completed - I know how you feel.

- I guess this is goodbye then. 

- I’ll call you tomorrow when all of this is taken care of then we can- - I cut her off by getting on my tippy toes and kissing her.

The kiss was everything I imagined and more, after getting over her initial shock she quickly reciprocated it, we felt so in sync and right with each other. 

After air became too much of a necessity for both of us we parted, I stopped tip toeing and just smiled at her. She also had the biggest smile on her face. Right now, we were just hugging.

- I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait for the next date at this moment. - I said into her shoulder.

- I couldn’t either, but I didn’t know if you wanted it to be this fast. - She said, resting her chin on top of my head.

We separated and after one last peck on her lips I said

- Call me as soon as you get home.

- Yes ma’am - she replied chuckling

And with that, I went into my building and started to make my way into my apartment.

As soon as I went inside I was tackle- hugged by Ana

- Thank god you’re okay Y/N. I saw the news and when they showed Wonder Woman I just knew you were also in there. I was so scared you were gonna get hurt or worse… - She said as tears started to trickle down from her eyes. 

- Hey Ana. I’m okay, there’s nothing to worry about. I’m just really tired and in dire need of a shower. How about we have dinner and tomorrow I’ll tell you everything? Okay?

She sniffled.

- Okay, I’ll put on our favorite show and we’ll rewatch that. I’m gonna make us some popcorn. You go take your shower. - She said after giving me one last hug and letting me go.

As I was getting ready to shower I noticed in my pocket the card Baman gave me, after staring at it for a while, all I could think was

what comes next?

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Chapter 4

[cccat-in-a-meat-sack]

Various roleplayer starters I have written because they're long and I like them:

tw// mentions of forced labor, sl@ves, implied h@ngings, and brief mentions of wh1pp1ng + not so brief mentions of d3ath, and m*rder

When Karael Zarall was 12 years old, he learned about family tradition and honor. It meant loving your family, putting them above all else, making them proud. When Karael Zarall was 12 years old he made a single promise, to always uphold his family tradition. When Karael Zarall was 12 years old, he made the first and last promise he ever made.

---

Karael always liked to get up with the sun. There was something about feeling the slightly damp grass and dirt, the feeling of sun heating up his skin as he trained, the feeling of knowing he was on a schedule with something otherworldy. Yet today, when his alarm clock rang and he could feel his albino mercat bumping her head against him, begging to be fed, there was just something. An unease in the air that stirred up trouble in his senses, that made his hair stand on end and his ears to be alright. Used to tradition however, he got up and pulled on a shirt, going to feed his mercat. He got a very special breed, one that could move between land and sea as they pleased, with webbed paws and gills but also all the perks of a normal cat. "There you go Abby." He mumbled, stroking her fur as he set the bowl down. He headed to the bathroom, brushing his hair and his teeth, not realizing what was off until he looked in the mirror. "Shit. It's today." He muttered under his breath, tying his hair back so it wouldn't be in his eyes, trying to ignore all the thoughts in his brain that told him to run, run far away from those monsters, run far away from it all. But, he didn't. Bring honor to your family. His brain whispered. So, he did. He made sure Abby's cat door was unlocked, he dressed in a simple attire of slightly loose black pants, a black t-shirt, added on his holsters for various weapons, and then he headed to the armory. Although he knew those assassins wouldn't have the chance to get to him before they were shot, he knew to be careful. Slipping on a simple piece of armor he designed himself, designed to look like a vest yet was bulletproof, stab and slash proof, and was designed to protect him no matter what. Now, he just needed to wait 6 hours before he would have to meet the criminals. He decided to look over Esor's file again, wanting to be prepared. Nothing really jumped out at him, nothing to be afraid of at least. He did pause for a moment at Esor's photo, studying it. Something about him just nagged at Karael, and he wasn't sure why. Either way, he shook the thought out of his head. That was a killer. An assassin. Someone who didn't deserve the opportunity they were given. But, his opinion was irrelevant. He was given an order, a plan to be followed and he would stick to it. For his king. For his family. For pride, tradition, and honor. But, he didn't want to be stuck with a cold-blooded killer, having to watch his back at every step. He didn't want to be nice to someone who had taken people away from their mothers, their fathers, their siblings. He didn't want to be around someone who blatantly didn't care about anyone but themself. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He could've requested a switch. But, it's not like anyone else would be much better. A bitter taste coiled in his stomach, however, as he looked over Esor's photo again. His eyes disturbed Karael, so dull and lifeless, but also evil. There wasn't an ounce of kindness, empathy. Karael felt bile rising in his throat. How could someone be so inhumane, so cruel? It didn't make sense to him. But staring at that face, looking into Esor's eyes in the photo, he couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong, something was going to change. He took Esor's photo out and ripped it up, tossing it in the trash can. Stupid photo.

---

Noon came all to fast. Karael was dragging his feet towards the courtyard, trying to think of an excuse not to go. Even though his brain was scared his body moved, head held high, body screaming confidence. It was engrained into his soul at this point, show no fear, show no weakness. Make your family proud. Prove you deserve their last name. So Karael kept walking, and as he approached the opened doors into the bright sunlight, it looked all to much like when people were dying in movies, going to the afterlife.

---

As he stood in the courtyard, feet planted firmly, arms behind his back at his lower back, he wanted to run. He didn't want to be so close to such a monster. But, he had a duty to uphold. So as the carriage got closer and closer, and as his anxiety got higher and higher, and took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders. Do it for your family. He reminded himself, and as he watched Esor leave the carriage, his head tilted up slightly. His photo did not do him justice.

(from the same rp):

Devwarion was not a place you wanted to be sent to. It was cold, bleak, rumored to be made from shadows and children’s nightmares. It has often been described as impossible to grasp the full terror and trauma the prison creates, but the look of it already is terrible. Made of obsidian, the jagged towers and smooth walls, along with 2 walls made it terrifying. The walls were so smooth a spider couldn’t stick to them, and no windows made the place all the more creepy. It was nestled in between two mountains, rarely snowing but always having a thin layer of frost. The most notable thing about the prison was the cold. It was freezing, cold that buried deep into your bones and never left. Frostbite was common, then thin blanket they provided never being enough to warm you. If the cold didn’t kill you the work would, working from before the sun was up till after it sank back into its slumber. Long, hard days working in the mines, mining salt and jewels for the country you had tried to tear down, the country who had put you in this hell. Death was a kinder fate than working in that prison.

Most people working in the mines were dead within a month. Maybe the ceiling caved in, maybe you were sent to the gallows, maybe you tried to escape and were shot, or perhaps you were just simply whipped to death. Whatever the reason, a month was average. The fastest time someone had died was 2 hours, they were brought to Devwarion at around 5:00 am, and were killed when a ceiling caved in at 7:00. There was no funeral, no mourning. There never was, prisoners who showed even the slightest bit of sadness or anger were punished, and not in the kinky way. There were thousands of prisoners in the prison, and none of them had ever been noteworthy. Until now. They were on a no-kill list by the king, which was something in itself, but they had all outlived the month-long average. And not just by one or two days, either. 

Esor Coy, codename: Rose. An assassin from Quedrand, an area where assassins were borderline underheard of. Confirmed kill count: 26. Age is unknown, looks about 20. Has been in Devwarion for a little under 2 years.

Alvara Marsden, codename: Beast tamer. An assassin from Draeldchy, confirmed kill count: 37. Age is 23, and has been in Devwarion for about a year and a half.

Envirious SerViano, codename: Black Lotus. Assassin from Quedrand, any possible ties to Esor unknown. Confirmed kill count: 43. Age: 20, has been in Devwarion for almost 8 months.

Callisto, last name unknown. Codename: Anemos. Assassin from Angbotin. Confirmed kill count: 46 . Age: 24, has been in Devwarion for almost 3 years. 

These four weren’t noticeable because they had the biggest kill counts, or the ones that were the most difficult to catch. What made these people deadly were their unpredictability and uniqueness. They were dangerous, perfect.

The king had run into trouble. He needed ruthless killers to work for him, who could work outside the law and save his country. His soldiers were good, amazing, but none of them quite fit the task he needed. It took 3 days and 4 nights for him to come up with the solution. 

Devwarion. 

These four assassins would be the key to the calmness of the kingdom, the survival and perseverance. But before that, he needed leverage. Something that would get these four to listen, to agree. None of them would be swayed by money, gold, perhaps not even freedom. Their hatred burned brighter than a thousand suns, and he couldn’t ignore that fact. So, he came up with something, something inhumane, something incredible, something that would work.

Then, his plan was set in motion.

3 months, was the time it took to lay the groundwork of his plan. Longer hours, harsher conditions, more punishments for the tiniest things. He needed them to long for freedom, to dream of the day they would die just so they could escape the hell they were trapped in. It was inhumane, yes, but did they really deserve to be treated as humans? In his eyes, no. They were tools, that was all. They were his to use, mold as he pleased.

When he looked into their eyes as he told them what would happen, he didn’t care about the emotions he saw. He didn’t care about the skepticism, the relief, the joy, the anxiety. He only cared about one emotion he saw in all four. 

Acceptance.

From there, it was easy, simple. Have guards take them to the castle. Have them train, meet their handlers, and they would be good. They would be alright. The kingdom would thrive, and if he had to do this he would.

—

The castle was a place that you wanted to be sent to. It was beautiful, bright, shining so much that even the sun hid in jealousy. It had four towers, each facing the four cardinal directions, where you could see guards patrolling. The outside of it was beautiful, with stained glass windows and smooth brick walls with plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows. The inside was just as beautiful, with marbled floors in the bathroom, kitchens, and main hallways, and soft oak wood making up the ballroom and bedrooms. The walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings, every so often flowers standing on side tables could be seen. Servants and knights bustled around, there was never stopping. If you worked well you would be rewarded, your family being tossed up in the social circle, bringing honor to them and you. Working among lush gardens, beautiful royalty, held in high honor, it’s no wonder the jobs were hard to come by.

Most people working in the castle never gave up their job. Not until they were on their deathbed, dying in comfort knowing their family would benefit from their death. Servants would work day and night to keep the king happy, keep their job. The soldiers were considered the best. There were five ranks, eagles, falcons, crows, ravens, and doves: the ranks named after the Queen’s favorite birds. Every soldier is extraordinary, most coming from Warbrosle, and kept up their duties with honor and pride. There were 4 soldiers who stood out though. They were favored by both the king and queen, with a couple rumored to even have captured the hearts of the princesses themselves. 

Karael Zarall, rank: Falcon. Exceptional soldier, turning down the rank of Eagle to continue fighting among the ranks. Excelled mostly in hand-to-hand combat and solo missions, but worked well in groups. He was best known for training new recruits, having a no-nonsense training to teach them respect.

Eden Carris, rank: Falcon. He was recently promoted, one of the quickest promotions on record, rising to the rank of Falcon in a mere 3 months. He was always up for a challenge, taking everything in stride as it’s handed to him. He worked mostly with larger-scale missions, often being the key to success. He rarely failed a mission, and even when he did, casualties were less than they would’ve been without him.

Arthur Vaesephine, rank: Falcon. He’s been a handler for 3 years, considered for the rank of Eagle but it was ultimately decided that he would run his own partition of soldiers. He’s more easy going, used more for city patrols and crowd control, but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate him. 

Elton Arvil. Rank: Falcon. Known as the artist of the rank, his skills look more like dancing than sword fighting. Don’t let this fool you though, he’s just as skilled as everyone else. Even more so, perhaps, specializing in carrying out precise strikes that much older and more experienced soldiers would struggle with. 

These four were the king's chosen ones, the ones he would choose to lead the assassins to a place of glory, a place of servitude, a place of good. They would make sure they stayed in line, were able to pass the trails, they would make sure those four were the ones that survived. Strong, skilled, perfect for the task. Who else would he choose?

So, the planning began. As the assassins slaved away and the handlers honed their skills, he began plotting. He sent scouts out to Devuniake, and they reported back to him about their planning and their leaders. He got assassins from all throughout the kingdom, 20 aside from the ones he wanted, assigning 20 other Falcons to watch over him. He matched up handlers to assassins, slaved away at writing 2 thousand word starters to make his friends happy, and he also ate pizza. Finally, everything was ready. 

—

The sun glares down upon the thick cobblestone walls, leaving stark, vivid shadows contrasting with the blinding bright reflections. The spiked shadows of the portcullis loom like the twisted teeth of some fell beast from Redbotnd. A horse nickers in the stables, and the air suddenly acquires a musty, damp smell, the smell of sweat and heat. A grinding, gravelly road runs straight ahead through a market into a towering stone keep. Tantalizing smells waft from the marketplace where colorful stalls selling everything imaginable sit in a confused muddle, a group of baby birds within their nest, the walls of the castle. The noise from the market comes in a sea of sound, starting slowly and building up before crashing down. Enticing scents waft between the stalls, masking the unsavory smell of sweat and spice. Rising above the bustle below like four eagles rising on an updraft, four towers stand stark against the sunlit sky giving a sense of power and control. Four flags fly high, their crimson contrasting with the blue sky. Through the heavy oak doors of the imposing keep there is a large chamber filled with rows of guards with armor and colors so flamboyant they almost distract your attention from the piles upon piles of glittering, golden treasure clustered around. The light from the teardrop shaped windows reflects off the treasure at all angles, filling the room with a warm, golden, glowing, glimmering light. Ceremonial swords and armor poke out of the piles occasionally, protruding at odd angles. Outside was warm, a lovely breeze blowing gently through the air. The handlers were ready and informed on what would happen, the assassins were almost at the castle, and the king’s plan was set in motion. He had informed the handlers to be ready in the courtyard at noon, and was not disappointed. The four of them stood ready, donning traditionally styled clothing, but he was slightly amused to see that they had added their own styles to the traditional clothing. He turned his head towards the gates as they opened, a calm expression on his face. There were roughly 7 guards for every assassin, the four assassins sitting inside a carriage, chained. The entourage stopped, and two guards opened the door to the carriage. The head of the group stepped out first, followed by the four assassins. They stood warily, but were herded into a line standing in front of the handlers. 

Finally, the king spoke. “Welcome to Quedrand.” He spoke, and noticed the various disgusted expressions from the assassins. He ignored them, and gestured at the 4 handlers. “These will be your personal guards during your visit. I suggest you be nice to each other, as you will be stuck together until the trials end.” Although the handler's faces remained neutral, he noticed Karael’s lips pressing together a little tighter. “Allow me to explain your pairings. Karael and Esor, you two will be together. Elton and Envirious, as will you two. Arthur and Alvara and Eden and Callisto are the last two pairs. Now, for the trails. There are twenty other contestants, and you are the last four to arrive. There will be a trial every other day, and you will be fighting against another assassin. The last four will be the ones who win, and will gain freedom after some time. The trials will be in different areas, and your task is to ‘kill’ your opponent. And I don’t mean that literally. You will get to choose your weapon, each will have substance that will glow when it touches an area you could kill someone. For now however, your handlers will show you the arena and your rooms. You may ask them any other questions then. Dismissed.”

--

Kailani was 5 years old when it found out that xe were connected to water. They were running through the forest from a group of hunters, and stumbled upon a lake. Without thinking, like it was natural instinct, it felt a tug in it's gut, unfamiliar but not unwelcome, and the water rose up behind them, attacking the men. They were dead within seconds, and the water curled around Kailani in a comforting manner, almost replacing the arms of zir late mother. Without a sound the water moved back to the lake, and Kailani was left alone with dead bodies, a confused mind, and a healing heart.

Kailani was 6 years old when ze moved to the coast, walking nearly 200 miles to get there. They stopped at every place with water to regain energy and heal their wounds, no longer scared of their connection. The water was friendly, welcome. They loved living along the coast building sand castles, swimming among sharks and dolphins, moving through the water like it was second nature.

Kailani was 7 years old when the village they lived in found out. They were no longer the sweet child loved by everyone, they were a demon, a monster. I'm 7! They wanted to scream. I don't want to hurt you! But the water let them know it was useless. They spent more time away, sneaking food whenever they could and playing more with the sharks and dolphins, an empty hole in their heart that no amount of playing could fix. The crack grew wider every day, as they were spit on, hit, hurt, just for something they couldn't control. 

Kailani was 8 years old when a tsunami came and tore about zir village, drowning and killing all 300 villagers. All except Kailani. The water avoided them, making a pocket underneath the water so Kailani stayed dry and unharmed. They watched the wreckage and destruction from a front-row street, and something began to grow in their heart, their broken heart. It wormed it's way through, fixing their heart, but not in a good way. They couldn't help but think it was what they deserved, for treating Kailani that way. It was a child. No one should hurt a child. 

Kailani was 9 years old when ze killed someone on purpose. The night was cold and dark, with a man greedily killing a baby animal who was just trying to drink. Perhaps it was the fact the deer was a baby that made Kailani so angry, and perhaps it was the fact the animal was just trying to drink. Either way, the dark, destruction parts of their heart that had sewn it together unleashed, the water grabbing the man almost telekinetically and choking him to death. Kailani stood over the body, yet they couldn't manage to find any sympathy. They felt almost guilty, but that was it. With a quick prayer to the deer they were off, back to go get food.

They were 10 when xe stopped caring about themself. It was hard to naturally, but when you're constantly shamed for your looks, how you talked, your accent, what you could do, it was nearly impossible to not start smashing mirrors, unable to look yourself in the face. Ze turned all their energy towards being helpful, using their connection to salvage ships, gold, get anything to make people happy. Just a single smile was all it needed.

Kailani had lost track of their age when they were tied up by men in white robes and shoved into a carriage. They had been sleeping peacefully, listening to the crickets chirping, feeling the bed underneath them and the blanket over them keeping them warm. A loose t-shirt and sweatpants adorned they body, which was much more modest than what they were most of the time. Kailani wasn't sure how the men found zim, but xe had a feeling it wasn't supposed to be like this. Metal handcuffs, tight enough it couldn't escape but loose enough that they would chaft their wrists. A bag over their head, to thick to see through but not thick enough they couldn't breath. Lifted into a carriage without a word, a soft, comfy carriage. They heard the horses neighing, and when they were able to rid their sleep-adelled mind of cobwebs, there wasn't any water around to protect them. So, they simply waited. Ever since they were 5 they had thought someone was going to come and kidnap them, take zim away for their connection and punish xim for going against the laws of nature. But it always imagined something more violent, more shouting, harsher conditions, more things like that. Instead the ride was smooth, almost lulling it back to sleep, and they had to shake their head so they wouldn't fall asleep. A quick upside down of their head removed the sack, and xe found itself to be in a windowless, royal carriage. The velvet was plush red, there were purple curtains decorating the space, and all in all it confused Kailani. What was going on?

When the carriage finally stopped, Kailani found zimself in front of a majestic building, and he didn't have time to admire it all as he was rushed inside. He was taken to a room, bindings taken off and was simply told to wait. Ze stayed calm about the situation, looking around instead admiring the decorations. The marble was cold under their bare feet, and there were 8 thrones, each with a light over them. White, Green, Black, Red, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Purple. They each had different inscriptions, and Kailani went over to the blue one first, it calling to him just as water did. Xe gently touched it, feeling the smooth marble, but was barely able to hold him up as images flashed across his vision. The creations of life. The calm beaches. Great storms. Throughout all of this, it lasted maybe 10 seconds, but only one phrase was heard. "Water holds memories. Welcome back, my God." 

"Yea, I'm officially going insane." Kailani mumbled.

[yanderes-galore]

I know you haven’t done individual concepts for them yet (at the time of this request, at least), but is there any chance you’d do a concept for a Halo RVB romantic rivalry between Locus and Agent Washington? The tension is palpable and I want it injected into my veins.

Ikr! You could choke on the tension- I really hope to do them justice.

Yandere! Locus vs Agent Washington

Pairing: Romantic - Rivalry

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Swearing, Manipulation, Dubious affection, Jealousy, Violence, Murder mention, Kidnapping, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Possessive behavior, Stalking.

In their seasons the two certainly have a very palpable tension between them.

They're both soldiers who have been hardened by their field.

In fact both of them used to be really empathetic and compassionate.

Then Wash went insane due to Epsilon.

While Locus was molded into a weapon after his time in the UNSC.

While Wash has recovered due to finding a new family among the Reds and Blues, Locus has not.

Essentially... Locus is what Wash could've been.

A weapon.

The rivalry over you probably started during the whole Chorus season.

Wash has already grown attached to you, be you a sim trooper or freelancer.

He considers you family like Carolina.

Speaking of which, Carolina knows Wash likes you more than just family before he does.

He gets relentlessly teased by her during your time on Chorus.

The first yandere you gain is indeed Agent Washington.

His feelings don't fully form into obsession until Locus is in the picture.

They just seem like genuine feelings of affection.

He cares for you but jealousy hasn't kicked in.

Then Locus finds you.

At first he sticks to the plan of splitting up the Reds and Blues, worrying about you later.

Locus has no idea how important you'll be to him until later.

That's how the rivalry sparks.

Locus stalks you from the shadows while Wash sticks by you.

Things would be horrible if you were seperated from Wash by Felix and Locus.

Locus does find it worth it to see Wash panic at you being on the other side.

Let's talk yandere behavior.

Locus is Obsessive, Cold, Cruel, Possessive, Threatening, yet loyal to those he deems his comrades.

Washington is Obsessive, Manipulative, Compassionate, Protective, and Ruthless at times.

What's interesting is how similar these two characters are.

Locus would be the same as Wash if Wash never met Red and Blue team.

But because he did? A totally different yandere.

Just think about it... I'm pretty sure that was the point of Locus, actually.

They'd be the same without one change.

Wash probably slowly learns this the more he encounters Locus.

I'll also say Locus is fully aware he's a monster.

He's killed many and has a possessive feeling of wanting to keep you.

He is aware if he doesn't change you'll never be happy.

Yet change is slow and all he wants is you right now.

In terms of stalking, Locus is the better one.

Terms of kidnapping? They both fair pretty well at it, but the point may go to Locus again.

Murder? They're both capable.

They want to kill each other anyway.

Locus slowly wants to transition to just injury, yet Wash can go.

Throughout the rivalry Wash grows increasingly worried for your safety.

Locus can be anywhere with his armor enhancements.

Wash is obsessed with you but he cares a lot more about you.

He's more capable of care than Locus, who lost that long ago.

Wash sort of wants to solidify his feelings towards you due to being so stressed.

In a moment of weakness Wash may let it slip he loves you...

Like... really loves you.

He sits you down and hugs you through your armor.

He may want to kiss you then and there... maybe he's watching.

He bets that'll piss him off.

Wash is right, the fact Wash has established your relationship after this does piss Locus off.

The warrior feels a deep burning in his stomach.

He wants nothing more than to shoot Wash in the head.

It's after Wash makes his move that Locus abandons the plan and kidnaps you.

In a similar way to Carolina and Wash, Felix will give him shit when he carries you to the base.

"Too jealous, huh? So unlike you." Felix chides.

"Say anymore and I'll bash your skull in, Felix."

This is where you're subjected to Locus.

While Wash was affectionate, soft hugs and kisses to assure you you're his...

Locus is stiff with affection.

He wants you around but isn't sure how to express it.

Felix tempts fate by speaking with you.

Locus looks so tense at this.

He'd deck him if he didn't have to tolerate him.

Locus occasionally indulges in affection at times.

Usually small things like an arm around you or a soft spoken voice.

He's much less affectionate than Wash.

Kissing you would take forever with him.

Once he does though? He can't get enough.

The rivalry comes to a close when Wash rallies people to get you back.

The Reds and Blues find it annoying but feel Wash and you are family.

Tucker's the most sympathetic towards his goals.

Soon in their rivalry they'll have to fight each other, one on one.

They both want you... they also have a mission to do.

Once lucky move and one of them could win and keep you...

Who it'll be will depend purely on who has the best strategy... and who wants you the most.

[angry-geese]

Sukuna x reader

Warnings: slight OSHA incompliance. A bit suggestive, overall sfw. Mentions of blood and injury. Just some monster boyfriend Sukuna licking your wounds. Reader is gender neutral

Synopsis: "he's a ten but he licks your wounds" but with Sukuna ksgdkdhk

Word count: just over 700 :)

A/n: this was a drabble I started a few days ago that I never really intended to post but all this talk about Sukuna today gave me the motivation to finish it kshdkfhk

Also this was not really proofread so apologies for any errors <3

"Let me see your wound."

The fire has died down, leaving only embers. Despite this, the room is quite warm. In a bit, you should get up, and throw some more logs on the fire, but lethargy prevents you from doing such. Instead, you stay seated on your spot on the floor, picking at the loose threads of the mat. At one point in time, you were polishing your blade; but the weapon has fallen abandoned by your side.

"I'm fine," you say, "really."

"I could smell your blood from down the hall," he says. “Let me see your wound.”

It's an order, not a question. Sukuna motions for you to sit beside him on the bed. And although you’re not a small person in either stature, or build, you’re nearly dwarfed by the King of Curses.

“Yes, well, it turns out the locals don't take too kindly to visitors,” you say, clutching your injured arm.

You feel his breath across the bare skin of your neck. Blood has seeped through your thin, white shirt. When his hands move to the knot at the front of your shirt, undoing it, you do little to resist. The fabric falls off your shoulders, before getting caught on your elbows. On instinct, your arms cross in front of your chest. Across your shoulder, no longer than the length of your hand, is a cut. It's not deep enough to require stitches, but it’ll leave a scar. The bleeding has mostly stopped, but some blood still seeps from it. The awkward position of the cut has left it difficult for you to treat yourself, but asking for help from someone else is out of the question. So you had simply returned to your room, to wallow in your own pity.

“I should have sent Uruame.” He says. “There was no need for you to get injured."

What's gotten into him lately? First, the night down by the river, now this?

Either Ryoumen Sukuna is getting sentimental, or you're looking too hard into this.

The latter seems more likely. But the King of Curses has had a more human streak as of late. Not out in the nearby villages, where he kills and plunders to his heart's content, but within the stone walls of his shrine. Nights by the fire were shared. Plenty of alcohol flowed.

Sukuna was human. At one point in time. Perhaps a shred of humanity still exists within him. It may be shriveled, and dying, but it’s there.

"I'll live." You say.

And really, you will. It's only a flesh wound. The scar it'll cause will barely be worth telling a story about. You've received worse injuries for less, and come out on top every time.

Some day your luck is going to run out. Until then, you’re content to live as you please, free from any human society that exists. You, much like the King of Curses, are content to live to your own devices.

The feeling of a hot tongue against your skin is nearly enough to make you scream. Your eyes go wide. Goosebumps rise along your arms. Instead of swatting him away, which you very much want to do, you allow Sukuna to lap at the blood that drips steadily from your wound. Whether his saliva actually holds some strange healing property, or it’s simply a trick of your mind, you’ll never know, but the ache in your shoulder subsides slightly.

“That was reckless.” He scolds.

Something burns at your face. Perhaps it’s shame. Maybe embarrassment. You never get the chance to answer him. When he kisses you, a faint metallic taste lingers on his lips. In that moment you feel something strange within his touch. Something human. It's almost as if he’s afraid.

Impossible, you remind yourself. He doesn't feel fear.

“Lay with me,” he says softly, “just for a bit.”

He's asking this time, not commanding. Sukuna doesn't need to sleep—not in the way humans do. This bed was merely here for decoration, and a soft surface to fuck on—until you came along, and claimed it for yourself. Yet you allow yourself to give in, laying back on the soft mattress as he curls around you.

[startrekfangirl2233-writes]

Hello

Well I was thinking about 41 with pilot reader x Hagman

Thanks

❤️

Hello! I hope you like this one! I went AU for this ask and wrote up a quick Pacific Rim drabble with Pilot!Reader and Hangman! Here is Kiss #41 Because the World is Saved. All of the Jaeger names are thanks to @thedroneranger and @mayhemmanaged brainstorming and help!

A Kiss After Saving the World

It hasn't been very long at all since monsters began terrorizing the world. But they're not anything like what all of the old science fiction novels said they'd be like. For one, they didn't come to us from space. They emerged from a colossal portal at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean called the breach. The monsters, called Kaiju, attacked coastal cities while causing unprecedented damage. No conventional weapons or technologies could touch them. In the decade since the first Kaiju attacks, things have changed drastically.

Never has the world been more united. The only line of defense between the coastal cities of the world and the Kaiju were colossal piloted robots called the Jaeger. Each robot was operated by two pilots, attached via neural link, each responsible for a side of the robot. By linking the pilots, you could ensure seamless communication between them and the two could work as one to drive the Kaiju back. It worked - for a while. Then bigger and more dangerous Kaiju started to ascend from the Breach and more and more Jaegers started to fall in their wake. That's when the world began building the sea walls to protect humanity while decommissioning the Jaegers. The walls didn’t really work, but there’s nothing the Pan Pacific Defense Corps could do. There's only one Jaeger facility operating in the world now, the Hong Kong Shatterdome.

There are only four Jaegers in the colossal hangar and enough crew and operations personnel to ensure they’ll be piloted properly. There is also only one chance to shut down the breach for good. It’ll take a targeted nuclear warhead to the center of the breach. You’re the newest pilot in the Shatterdome and the only pilot compatible with Lieutenant Commander Jake Seresin, callsign Hangman, formerly of the United States Navy, currently of the Pan Pacific Defence Corps. He’s an interesting man, Commander Seresin, taciturn and cocky by turn even as he maintains that you will never be good enough to pilot this mission. 

You’ve had three Kaiju battles since you took up the vacant pilot seat on the Gypsy Starfall and Jake still believes you’re not going to be good enough. You’re starting to believe it yourself. Every time you drift with him, you see his prior drift partner, Lieutenant Commander Javy Machado, the man who was once known as Coyote. Hangman and Coyote piloted the Gypsy Starfall for over four years, fighting back dozens of Category Three and Four Kaiju successfully, but Jake refuses to let you in. Your drifts with him bridge the gap between shallow and deep by a thread every time, one stray thought away from dissolving into chaos. Through sheer force of will, Jake’s managed to keep you from plummeting into that chaos.

You’re in the final briefing before the nuclear run at the Breach when the sirens blare. 

“It’s a Category Five Kaiju, codename Slattern. All Pilots to their Jaegers. This is an all hands on deck situation.” Colonel Kazansky sounds as serious as you’ve ever heard him.

Within minutes you’re suited up and in Gypsy Starfall’s cockpit. Across the way you can see Payback and Fanboy loading up into Banshee Dagger and Phoenix and Bob sinking into Stryker Mayhem. You know that Rooster and Maverick are in Eagle Tirade to your right as well. 

“Peony, do you read me?” Jake’s voice always makes you feel like you belong in a Jaeger when you hear him in the drift.

“Hangman, loud and clear.” Even your brainwaves sound nervous.

The four Jaegers move in unison, progressing in a straight line towards the breach. There’s a wicked storm brewing over the expanse and right as the Gypsy Starfall crosses the final defenses of the Hong Kong Sea Wall, you see the colossal head of Slattern peek out of the rift. It’s the biggest Kaiju you’ve ever seen and it’s not alone. It’s being guarded by two Category Threes, Otachi and Leatherback. It’s Otachi that you and Jake had beat back most recently and the Kaiju obviously holds a grudge because it’s rushing you as soon as it sees you. Thank god for your newly updated energy blade and the cover from Eagle Tirade’s guns. It’s through sheer luck that you spear Otachi through the heart. But Otachi’s death, and Leatherback’s death soon afterward drive Slattern into a driving rage. The colossal creature rushes towards the wall and soon all you can hear are Jake’s thoughts as the two of you fight with all your breath to beat the brute back.

You can’t let him decimate the Hong Kong Shatterdome and Hong Kong City. Jake’s entire family is there. He (You) can’t afford to bury any more people he (you) love. It’s with a roar of pure desperation that you both activate the one mayday weapon onboard Gypsy Starfall other than the nuclear warhead housed in her chest, a sonic cannon. The battering soundwaves drive Slattern back inch by excruciating inch until the brute’s teetering on the edge of the rift.

“We have to push him in, Jake!” You’re screaming down the drift link between you.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I know. But how?” He sounds exhausted, far more like an old man than a 30 year old.

“We’re the only thing heavy enough, Jake! One push and he takes us and the warhead with him. I’ll eject you and take on Star’s full neural load. Once we’re through the rift, I’ll blow the warhead.” You can feel the arguments against your plan even before they fly through the drift to you.

“I don’t have anybody in Hong Kong waiting for me.” A tear drips down your cheek at the thought of leaving your friends, leaving Jake, behind.

“You have me waiting for you, sweetheart. So we’ll do this instead. We’ll both push Slattern into the rift. Then we’ll both eject, okay?” But you don’t even have the chance to respond as you see another colossal Cat 5 Kaiju begin to approach through the Breach. You and Jake gun the engines on Gypsy Starfall and shove Slattern and his friends back to the hell they came from. That’s the last thing you remember.

You wake up to the sound of waves lapping against your ejection pod. The Pacific Ocean is roiling around you as waves higher than your head bat the pod around like it’s a toy. Jake! Where is he? It’s far too long before the waves subside and you finally see his pod floating a ways away. 

“Jake?” Your voice is a hoarse scream as you grab a bit of driftwood and begin to row towards his pod. When you open the pod he’s just come to.

“Jake!” You’re crying again.

“Peony! You’re alive!” He kisses you then, soft and sweet. You can’t help how you sob in his arms when you pull away.

“We did it, sweetheart. We saved the world.” That’s where you stay until the helicopters come find you, tethered to the one man who you know better than you know yourself. Your soulmate and if you dare say it, the love of your life. Nothing can bring the two of you down. Not even a Kaiju.

Want to request a Kiss and a pair for me to write? Guidelines are here.

Want to see other Kisses I’ve written? Here’s the full Masterlist.

I DO NOT CONSENT TO HAVE MY WORK POSTED, TRANSLATED, OR PUBLISHED ON ANY SITES OTHER THAN HERE OR ON AO3 BY ME. IF YOU SEE MY WORKS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE OR AO3, THEN THEY HAVE BEEN POSTED WITHOUT MY PERMISSION AND I WILL BE WORKING TO TAKE THEM DOWN.

[flaming-iguana]

MUTO Encounter

*throws this after a month of inactivity*

Here’s some writing I’ve been doing

Godzilla surveys his territory. 

It’s something he must do daily—there are too many odd creatures about, and even if they stood no chance against him, the world has changed rapidly in the past thousand years. He hates to admit it to himself but humans were a formidable threat. 

Creatures that could create a weapon to dissolve him to bone? Unthinkable. Even Ghidorah couldn’t do that… he hopes not. The prince exhales with amusement. A bone-dissolving Ghidorah is something he can’t think of for too long without it getting unrealistic and silly. 

Alone with his thoughts, Godzilla continues his swim, and determines through a thorough surface exam, that nothing is within his domain. He dives down into the water, his permeable third eyelid protecting his eyes from salt and other debris, clearing his view. Underwater, he looks for more potential rivals. 

Nothing. 

Odd, He thinks, moving his flippers to rebalance himself in the water. He swims through the coral, the deep sea fish, and even other oceanic predators. No monsters. 

It’s strange to have no rivals for once, but it’s a change that Godzilla is surely fond of. No rivals means no fights, and he can return to Ghidorah and rest a few hours more. He resurfaces, stretching his jaws in a yawn, before redirecting himself towards his home. He closes his eyes, flowing with the current as he feels the water ripple around his flippers and snout. His muscles untense, and he slowly sinks beneath the surface of the water, beginning to hum a song. No rivals, no predators, he could just take some time for himself. 

Something grazes against Godzilla’s side. He lets out a sudden exhale, and stops his humming. He opens his eyes, scanning the water. Nothing…

Must’ve been a rock, He reassures himself, slowing down. Maybe being more aware of his surroundings will—

Something nips his tail. Instinctively, he whips around quickly, shaking the intruder off. Whatever had bitten him was a mere blur in his peripheral vision. His jaws snap open, he pushes through the current, and he reaches out to bite his attacker; a small, dark colored creature, with spines that looked a little like—

Godzilla shuts his jaws right in front of Minilla. 

Despite almost being killed by him, Minilla looks almost ecstatic to see his father. He swims around him in circles, churring happily. Godzilla himself, however, is not so pleased. He gently carries Minilla above the water by his scruff, the cooler air ruffling their fur. 

Setting Minilla down, he turns to face his father, chirping happily. 

“What are you doing here?” Godzilla gets straight to the point. His lips are slightly curled back in a snarl, and Minilla’s ears flatten in response. 

“I wanted to help you,” Minilla’s voice is soft, his shame is visibly spread across his soft face. 

“Help me? With what?”

“With your… with, with…” Minilla’s expression changes again, he’s beaming now. “Swimming!” 

“I assure you that I am already well rounded with my swimming abilities,” Godzilla huffs, brow furrowing in confusion. 

“Well, well… well… um…”

“Why are you alone?” 

Minilla doesn’t answer initially, he keeps his head down. Godzilla’s ears pin back, his eyes widening. 

“Minilla, where’s your father?”

Minilla looks around. “He’s not… with me?” He looks behind him, and beside himself a few more times. He looks back at Godzilla with a distraught face. 

His father responds quickly with a growl, “Well, where is he? Answer me!” 

Minilla begins to pout, looking around again, as if that would solve the issue. Like the meek creature he is, he starts to sob, flailing his limbs around immaturely. This only makes Godzilla more frustrated, spraying water onto Minilla with his tail. Not only is his son traveling alone—in an ocean of predators, no less—he also can’t even remember the location of the other parent he’s left behind? Incompetent, really. He shouldn’t behold the title of a prince.

“Minilla!”

“He was—He was supposed to be with me!” Minilla finally blurts out. 

“And you left him?”

“I don’t—I don’t know! He was behind me, then he wasn’t!” Minilla continues his aggravating wailing. 

Godzilla huffs impatiently. “Calm down, will you? Where’d you last see him?”

Minilla sniffs, blinking tears out of his eyes, “He was… flying… and then he was… there was a big thing… and then I kept swimming!” 

A big thing? What does that even mean? Godzilla lets out an exasperated noise.

“Are you mad at me?” Minilla asks. 

Yes, I’m infuriated with you. You’re a bother, you’ve the attention span of a fly, and the object permanence of a fish. You don’t do as you’re told, you can’t even remember what you’re told. Who wouldn’t be angry with you? 

He lets out a sigh, “Where’d you see the big thing?” 

“The sandy place,” Minilla at last says something coherent. 

Godzilla wants to be relieved, for his fear to suddenly be dissolved, but alas, something must never be right. His thoughts immediately race towards the beach, and only one thing near beaches could make something big enough to launch at Ghidorah: Humans. And once the realization sinks in, his fear does not leave. Humans have made something that can harm Ghidorah. And if they have made something that can harm Ghidorah, they have made something that can kill Godzilla. 

Worse, they could’ve made something to exterminate monsters as a whole. But the thought of Ghidorah being injured angers him far more than Minilla’s interrogation process. He feels his blood boiling—almost literally, the membranes between his scutes are beginning to change to a lighter color from the sudden change in body temperature. Godzilla takes Minilla up once more, and the younger prince babbles with confusion. 

“Are we going to find him?” Minilla asks another question. 

“We will find him, dead or alive, Minilla.” 

“What’s a dead?” 

No answer arrives as the two of them surge through the water, their movement causing strong currents through the water. The new waves were sure to ruin the humans’ previously calm seas. It’s not long until they reach the shallow end of the water, with the beach within sight. 

Godzilla counted a single beast: A brownish gray figure, with long front legs and huge claws, and two other sets of similarly built legs. A reddish stripe ran down either side of its body. 

The prince has never seen a monster like this in his life. Worse, it just… stares right back at him with unwavering, piercing red eyes. His breath hitches. What if this creature is Ghidorah? This is worse than he ever could’ve imagined. He slowly takes a step forward. 

No, no…

The beast does not move. Godzilla takes another stride forward. 

What have they done to you?

The beast moves back, hissing. 

It is me, don’t you remember? 

He is almost nose to nose with the beast. But it suddenly flares its wings open, roaring. Godzilla takes a step backward. The red stripes on either side of its body glow brightly, the glow reaching down to its claws, before it lifts them up, and slams them back down. 

You’re not him. 

A loud screech rings out, and Ghidorah, though visibly scratched up, attacks the strange beast, pinning it to the sand. The newcomer isn’t completely defenseless, however, and its large claws rip into him with shocking ease. In retaliation, he cuts the beast with his tails. Roaring, the other beast kicks the hydra away with its other legs. 

Ghidorah doesn’t let up easily, charging a beam through his middle neck. His left and right heads let out more screeches. The other beast roars back, but cowards and shrinks its body. Spreading its wings, it kicks at the sand, Ghidorah keeps his eye contact, readying his beam further—

The beast flees, soaring into the open sky, with an occasional dip in its gait. 

Godzilla looks up at it, before looking back down at Ghidorah. 

“What was that?” He asks. 

Ghidorah’s left head’s spikes ruffle, “You think I’m supposed to know? It’s your messed up planet.” 

[thoughfullovercreator]

Hurt/ angst/ comfort

Nikolai Gogol x fem!reader

Night changes

MINORS DNI

This story is +18. I do not take responsibility if some minors or children read this. If you are minor, quit or at least don’t interact.

Trigger warning: mentions of blood, violence, sadistic behaviour, cold weapon. Honestly Nikolai is his own trigger warning.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

It was too much. You reached your limit.

You could be quietly sitting on the couch with your so called lover. The one who could be so lovely and affectionate and he suddenly would turn into a monster. Giggling and laughing at your pain

« hahaha if you just looked at your face once I stabbed you. Ahah like a shocked puppy !! »

This relationship was still so important to you.

You’ve always been so loving and genuine about your feelings. And you wanted someone to love who would love you back and cherish you…

Only.. you haven’t got this chance.

You indeed found someone to love but what did you receive ?

Harm, pain, sadness and humiliation.

Indeed Nikolai could seem very friendly and adorable. He could actually be this ! But suddenly he would turn into a heartless monster ..

..like now.

Facing you with his « amusement tools » like he calls them which consisted of knives. Very sharp knives.

- «  come on doll ! I haven’t finished yet ! »

You’re both standing in the kitchen. You, against the wall, behind a table that was sparing you from the monster before you, ready to harm you at any moment.

You were all bleeding, sobbing hard from the harm you’ve been receiving and tired from living this so frequently.

You were like an object to him. Hugging you when he felt like it and hurting you when he felt like it.

You also wore one of these dresses he likes you to wear. White. Your blood was pouring and staining the beautiful dress. You were such a mess. You didn’t even know how everything escalated so far.

How did it come to this ?

- « Nikolai please .. » you couldn’t even form a simple sentence.

- « come on darling.. hold out you hand.. » he pouted.

You tried to struggle against him but he managed to pull your hand forcefully and stab you palm, maniacally laughing.

Suddenly, time stopped..

You looked at your stained, torn clothes, at your bleeding arms and palm… Slowly your gaze trailed till it reached his face. The man you loved and cherished so much was the source your pain and sadness..

He was the one harming you and putting you through so much pain. You looked at him in the eyes.. eyes were full of grief and hurt. Nikolai paused.

Love should never be like that.

He suddenly noticed something changed in you. Your eyes.. they lost their life, they became cold and distant.

He felt a pang in his heart and.. guilt. He then knew, by the way you looked at him.. that he pushed you to your limit.

He was loosing you.

The smile in his face.. long gone. He started realising.

You then, slowly turned around the table avoiding him, went to you room, took your long brown coat to wear and slowly exited the house with your heart torn apart.

——————————————

It was a rainy day. How funny..

At least, the teardrops flowing down your cheeks would be mistaken for rain.

It was cold outside, you were crossing your arms trying to shield yourself from the cold. Slowly walking between all the passengers, you started thinking about how your life would have been if you haven’t encountered Nikolai.

Certainly happier.

With your hands cold and your heart clenching you made it to a bench at a parc and as it was afternoon, you could see the deep orange sun setting. Its warmness deeply contrasted with the coldness of the rain.

It was truly beautiful.

The more time passed, the colder it got. To survive that, the only thing you could do is hug your legs against your chest and rocking back and forth to create some warmth.

It was night now, the sun has completely set. The only light you had was coming from the street lamps.

By that time, there was no one in the parc, only the sound of crickets and the leaves blowed by the cold wind.

You found yourself lulled by the sounds.. if only you weren’t in such a mess you could have been able to really enjoy sitting here..

Instead, your face felt heavy from crying and your mind raced.

You wondered what you were going to do now that you managed to exit the house. You have nowhere to go. If Nikolai finds you at your family’s place he could harm them and that was a risk you didn’t want to take. Staying with someone as violent was your fault and you weren’t going to bring your family into this.

Other than that, the only place you could go to would be a hotel and even there, Nikolai could still find you, but at least, the only person who would be harmed would be you.

You have no exit.

You knew that your so-called boyfriend would find you wherever you go and that trying so hard to escape was useless. You lost hope.

You started to calm down and get slightly sleepy when you heard the sounds of footsteps on the grass.

You were so tired from all the crying you’ve done that you had a hard time focusing on the person that was actually walking towards you.

Suddenly, the realisation hit you and you stiffened, eyes wide. The silhouette was one you would recognise between hundreds of others.

Slowly approaching..

This is it.. he’s going to kill me.

Today is my last day

These moments are my last.

Trembling.. you were trembling from fear, the man before you was a monster.

Slowly coming under the light, you could finally see his face. Surprisingly he wasn’t wearing that sadistic smile of his… the smile of a predator that would leave you feeling like a prey.

He seemed actually.. sad ?

- « I told you I haven’t finished yet » he looked at you offended. But there was something else in these eyes.. something you couldn’t quite decipher

His tone wasn’t as malicious as usual and he kept a certain distance between the toi of you as if he was waiting for an answer, or a reaction.

You blinked, the wind blowing on your week frame.

All of the sudden you burst into tears.

- « What did I ever do to you to treat me like this ?! Do I really deserve that ?! Why do you always break me like that ?! I’am a person, I have feelings.. »

Standing in front of you, you saw Nikolai flinch and for a minute you saw what looked like.. guilt ? Sadness ? Regret ?

But could you trust it ? Could you trust your red eyes, tired from weeping all day ?

You continued:

- « I’ve always gave you all my love.. I- I just wanted to love and be loved that’s all.. that’s all I wanted »

You looked at him desperate, trying to get an answer instead of that.. now clear look of guilt on his face.

« All you did was hurting me. Pain, that’s what you gave me back. »

You make a pause and continue

- « You must really hate me a lot for doing all this to me ! »

Before you, Nikolai was trying his best to look stoic but, the pang on his heart was so painful that he couldn’t do much.

- « I am sorry.. my sweetheart.. let’s just go home »

- « I wish I have never met you, Nikolai » you added with despair in your eyes.

Crack

His heart.. in pain. His face contorted into a sad smile and a pained look in his eyes. The same purple pools you would cherish so much.

With a weak voice he said:

- « Come on, please sweetie, I said I am sorry. Let’s go back home. » as he started slightly pulling you towards him to encourage you to follow him. But you didn’t budge.

- « You´ll hurt me. Again and again. How many time you said sorry before? Did it change anything ? » you said, tired.

Spilling everything to his face was new to you. Keeping it all in you heart felt like suffocating.

Living like this was like dying slowly everyday.

You continued crying, hot tears running down your reddened cheeks, until Nikolai sat softly on the bench next to you.. as if scared to startle you, he then slowly hugged you.

This feeling… it’s been months..

- « Please, come back home, I’ll make your favourite cookies and hot chocolate if you want. »

He said, trying to convince you. But you still didn’t budge.

Hesitating

- « I’ll never hurt you again. Please just this once trust me, I won’t harm you anymore..» He said, voice breaking.

It’s the first time you’ve seen him like this. Which unsettled you.

- « Please moy golub.. just this once.. » he pleaded.

« ..give us one last chance »

You felt tears coming back.

The both of you here.. staring at each other. You knew it was risky to trust him. You knew one shouldn’t trust a clown.

- « Nikolai I’ve been patient, I took all the harm and I said nothing, I can’t take anymore of it. What could make me think you’re not lying ? »

- « I am so sorry.. » he slowly admitted with profound sadness in the eyes.

But you could try just this once.. you felt sincerity coming from him.

- « Niko, this is my last try with you.. » you said calmly and seriously. For the first time, you felt that.. he was affected by your pain.

Instantly he started hugging you tighter.

- « Thanks you moy golub, thanks you so much, you won’t regret it. »

His face seemed sincere.

When you came back home he made you a warm bath and let you shower to wash all the blood from your skin, while he was, as promised, preparing your favorite cookies and your hot chocolate.

You felt warm at the idea that he actually might change, that.. maybe, he was sincere about what he said in the parc. A sparkle of hope remained.

He was regretting.

When you finished bathing, he, clumsily tried to take care of you and your wounds. He spent the whole time with you as if he was scared you might go away.

That night, you felt something change for the better.

.

[briefdreamergarden]

Katherine's death scene mentions of violence and gore. Also my hc is that during the fights to the death the watchers heal the hands so that they know the kill will happen.I also changed it to just suffocation instead of suffocating in a wall. This was also written after it was known that skizz killed Katherine.

It was the middle of the night when she awoke abruptly the feeling of eyes staring down at her. It was not the feeling of eyes she had had to get used to over the past week; these weren't those stupid god watcher eyes. These were human eyes. Human eyes that she felt spoke of violence and death.

She knew then that the canary's call had finally ended for her.

She saw a shadowy figure outlined by the door. She didn't know who it was; it was too dark to tell. 

She felt as the  shadowy figure grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the bed. When did it move? How did it move? She had been watching it all this time and then it was suddenly next to her yanking her away from her home. 

From her Shelby.

The figure pulled her down the mountain and towards the centre. Of course. If she was going to die of course she was going to die where most of the others perished too. It was cursed land. 

Cursed land for a cursed princess.

All the way there she had kicked and scratched and  screamed. Her killer had deep gashes on their arms from her nails and she had taken a good chunk of skin off of their leg which she only noticed when she saw the snow was stained sanguine red.

Finally after what felt like years, she was suddenly shoved onto the grass of central right outside the front of skizz and cubs base.

She looked up and in the pale moonlight she saw the face of her killer.

Skizzleman.

But this was not the skizz she knew or saw. This was not the man who had sobbed outside her house after watching his lover get killed. This was not the man who had complained about the mess on his front lawn. This was the face of a killer.

"You- you- you" she stuttered out.

"I- I-I I what?" He mocked her.

"It was you. You killed them. You're one of them." 

"Of course I was but no one would expect poor skizz to be a hand especially since cub was a hand. You all fell for it hook, line and sinker. Though I would expect nothing less from you people. "

"You're a monster or at least this thing is!" She screamed at 'him'.

"Better a monster than a fool or a curse. And you know both of those things Katherine Elizabeth."

She  shrieked and lunged at him. She may not have any weapons but she was still a fighter and she knew what she was doing. Or at least she thought she did.

Skizz in this form had seen her get ready to fight him so was more prepared than what she thought. He braced himself for the impact knowing that she wouldn't expect it and he would be given the upper hand. She hit him straight in the chest and while it knocked some of the breath out of him ultimately it did nothing.

Katherine started punching and kicking at him trying to go for his weak spots so he would crumble and fall to the ground giving her time to escape and run. But Skizz was better than that. He managed to dodge or deflect most of her hits so they didn't land where she wanted them too. But his moves were janky and unnatural as if he knew the actions but someone else was forcing them out of him.

They continued on fighting in a mash of limbs and blood and skin. In the process she had managed to claw at Skizz's face giving him 3 long gashes along one of his cheeks. But as soon as they appeared and started heavily bleeding they slowly started to close up and fade away without a trace of them ever being there. She on the other hand was covered in blood all down her arms and legs and there was blood running down into her vision from a gash on her forehead.

Finally, it happened. 

Skizz had grabbed her round her torso and made it so she couldn't move and there was no chance of an escape. His arm was like a steel bar around her core. He then slapped his hand across her mouth and nose and pushed his hand hard against her face enabling her from being able to breath.

He watched as her face drained of all colour and her once rosy cheeks took on a blue complexion.  He saw when her hands finally slowed and stopped the clawing at her chest as if she was trying to rip open a hole in order to breathe again. He watched as the light faded from her eyes until they were nothing more than glassy reflections of the moon above them. He'd watched all this with the red eyes that had spoken to her of death and that prophecy had come true. 

For there really was no salvation and hope for any of them in this world.

The last thought she  had before she finally succumbed to the darkness surrounding her was

"Shelby. 

I love you."

Katherine Elizabeth suffocated to death.

[ecargmura]

Hirogaru Sky! Precure Episode 43 Review - Prism Shine

I liked this episode! It was good development for Mashiro and Battamonda! I finally like that there is closure to Battamonda’s story and a conclusion to Mashiro’s storybook ideas. While it was a rather fast-paced episode, I’m glad that nothing felt too off about it.

The conflict is still about Battamonda’s insecurities. Each episode he was focused in, there was a bit of a increase in development, aside from the Halloween episode since that was filler. As a tipping point, he finally explodes and reveals his identity to Mashiro by ripping her sketchbook and stealing her Mirage Pen. He was a jerk, but I do get that he only did it because he was frustrated, lost and confused with himself. He becomes the monster of the day as he absorbs the tremendous Underg Energy and becomes a powered-up state like how Minoton was like back in Episode 33; he looks like a Super Saiyan. Fortunately, he does have some good within him as Prism’s speech about the person who values their own worth is themself, to which he fights off the Underg Energy and smacks Skearhead in the face! This is the first time someone attacks Skearhead! I also like that he was a good person deep down as he apologized without any hesitation and even was impressed that Sora was capable of forgiving him. I did like that Battamonda was given a second chance in life and it makes me wonder what will he do on Earth now that he’s no longer an Underg Empire member.

Mashiro gets stuck in writers’ block again, but she finally gets to finish her story and even won first place! Congrats, Mashiro! I do like that every time she meets up with Battamonda, she learns something new about herself like how she realized that the story she’s writing was about herself. I do like how she always finds something new about herself ever since she met Sora. Because of their support, she came this far. Her strongest trait is her kindness, which is what she used against Battamonda; hitting with kindness is indeed a strong weapon! I’m not too sure if Prism Shine is a new move, but it doesn’t look like it. I’m glad that Mashiro finally got through to Battamonda. It does feel like Sora and Kabaton in a way, but how that was concluded was something only Sora could do; what Mashiro did with Battamonda is something only she could do. I do like how the writers understand that.

Skearhead actually gets hit for the first time! It’s even more shocking that the person who hit him wasn’t a Precure, but it was Battamonda. I guess this means Skearhead is starting to weaken as this powerful enemy he once presented himself as. Does this count as failure on his part?

The preview for next week’s episode is VERY intriguing. From what I can deduce, it seems that the Underg Empress Kaiserin is finally making her official debut in the flesh. I am honestly hyped because her beef with Ellee can finally be explained now. I can’t wait for next week! What are your thoughts on the conclusion between Mashiro and Battamonda’s story?

[kotetsuandbarnaby]

Now with the Mako Mori — Barnaby Brooks Jr parallel post:

Like the previous Kotetsu-Raleigh parallel post, this is gonna be loooong because there's a lot to point out. Go ahead and read under the cut if you love both Pacific Rim and Tiger and Bunny, or if you're curious about a hell of a parallel!

Do you know what my favorite thing about Mako and Barnaby is? That they both got their revenge while simultaneously finding a way to let go of the past, allowing themselves to move forward. Most media is like "revenge won't fulfill you!" and it won't! But these king and queen won and save the day anyway. They got the revenge and the later heal, which is iconic behavior if you ask me.

Anyway, we're talking about two characters who lost it all. Family? Gone. Friends? Gone. Everything they used to know? Gone in front of their eyes. Because it not just that they lost everything, it's that they were there when it happened. They saw the monsters responsible for it and for the following years they had to deal with the trauma. Please, Mako and Barnaby worked their asses off to get a chance to do something about it, even if they knew they couldn't change the past.

Mako and Barnaby are both brilliant. Their extensive training combined with their wits and determination made them unstoppable. They are young, pretty, fresh out of their training, with physical abilities that rival everyone around them and a personality that is at the same time very respectful and very bold. Everyone loves them for a good reason: they have work so hard, done so much, and they are basically perfect.

Between you and me, that's not what Barnaby and Mako feel like. Perfect, I mean. Because deep inside they feel broken and frustrated, lonely and angry. The ptsd is too strong for them to bear it alone— which is the whole point of giving them goofy sunshine partners like Kotetsu and Raleigh, but that's for another post.

Mako and Barnaby are natural strategists and they have a terrible time concealing how they feel to their partners or friends, because something or someone let's then down, you bet the weight of their dissapointed stare is gonna show up. They like to do things organized and clean. Amazing hairstyles, athletic and graceful way of carrying themselves, impressive use of their reflexes and legs... But there are more parallels than just the psychological and physical aspects.

After losing it all, they got adopted by a sudden savior, a man in the right place at the right time, a figure of power, a pioneer. Of course comparing Maverick with Pentecost is very unfair, since there's a big difference. Maverick was a manipulative piece of shit, while Pentecost was a selfless father willing to do anything for his girl. But what I want to point out here is that they grew up as soldiers or weapons. Neither Mako nor Bswould ever want to let down the person who rescue them and guided them while growing up— and both of them saw the death of that father figure, in more than one way. The slow degradation (of moral or health) of their father figure also left a wound. And what about the inability to form connections? They're friendly, everyone loves them, but they struggle with opening up and trusting. It's not even because they want to, but they grew up on a battlefield. Heroes vs Villain, Jaegers vs Kaijus... They didn't have time for love or casual relationships. Hell, they couldn't understand why Kotetsu and Raleigh were so worried about them and wanted so bad for them to trust them. They were strangers! And worst, because Kotetsu and Raleigh were challenging Barnaby and Mako to break the code for which they lived. What if Mako was not weak or too emotional, but ready for battle and in fact, one of the best pilots on the Shatterdome? What if Barnaby was not that mysterious god-like celebrity going after revenge, but a lost young man who wanted someone to help him find what justice was? What if Pentecost and Maverick were not always right? What if Barnaby and Mako had grown up past the judgment of their parents?

It's impressive how fragile Mako and Barnaby can look. More than physically (they are slim yet well toned, their skin pale but shiny with health), mentally. The stress bubble up whenever a crisis shows up. I'm thinking about the way Mako looked after her failed drift test, when she got lost in the memory of how she ran and hide away from that kaiju when she was a kid. She looked so... Little, on Raleigh's arms. And I'm thinking about the times Kotetsu has hold Barnaby after he gets injured, about how Barnaby looked when Maverick revealed everything to him. He had always that look on his face, like he has nothing and still you've dared to steal from him. Helpless. Hopeless. Lonely and dark and defeated.

Remember what I said about revenge? I love I LOVE how the main thing about it is also that they weren't alone. The whole issue of Mako going after those kaijus and Barnaby going after ouroboros and Jake was that, yeah, they were badass and capable, but it allowed them to face the past, their faces, their traumas... And when they thought it was too much, Raleigh and Kotetsu stepped in. No need to explain how fucked up are Raleigh and Kotetsu themselves, allowing to get hurt so bad they could barely stand, sacrificing it all at the last minute to make sure their partners get to live, taking the blow that defines it all and even when wounded, making that count, making their knowledge count. Mako and Barnaby are supposed to watch it and trust it: there's someone that loves them, someone who would never go away, someone who would give themselves entirely for them, someone who worries and values them, someone that would die for them and live for them. Mako and Barnaby are not just idols to admire from afar or martyrs of a cause— they are flesh and bone, worthy of love and trust, respect and affection, worthy of being the entire world for someone who is older and wiser and has seen the way of the world.

You need to give them so credit for how quickly they put themselves together and let Kotetsu and Raleigh in their hearts and mind. Because the type of trauma they have... And yet, they open up with a smile, they try again and again, they have faith in humanity even when everything looks like it's over. Please, Mako is the life of the Shatterdome, their special girl. Barnaby is the soul of Sternbild, their pride. They could have stayed angry and bitter, but they let go. You know how hard is that? They lost everything again, Maverick and Pentecost, the life they thought they had... But it's not over while they still believe. Well, I guess that's the word. Believers. They believe in their partners and their friends, in the city and the world, in their suits, in their abilities. They make you better because you want to be someone worthy of their trust and expectations, you know?

Mako and Barnaby are probably two of my favorite characters in terms of personality and storyline. They have their darkness, but they are so optimistic and pure. Their faith is contagious, even to the spectators. That fascinates me. A lot.

[brightblessed]

Anonymous asked: Is there something that Roi fears the most about himself? What does he do to fend off the demons in his heart? Or does he let the terrifying sides of himself run their course? 

unprompted ⸻ always accepting

⸻⸻⸻

 The answer to that question changes depending on plenty of things. I will say he fears his weakness the most. Roi is not what some would consider strong. He is incredibly emotional and he is a slave to his feelings. Despite trying to make his heart into iron, Roi feels too much. 

 Now, when I say weakness... I don’t mean just that he fears not being able to protect people. What he fears the most is his incredible capacity to hurt others. It’s no secret that Roi is one of the strongest people alive. If he wanted to, he could do far worse than even most Primals. It isn’t just his own physical power he is afraid of. Roi is a very powerful person with incredibly volatile emotions. There are times where he is so clouded with his agony and rage that he cannot be reasonable. 

 And no, I don’t mean he recklessly throws himself into harms way to protect someone. I mean that he throws himself into harms way because wants to be harmed. Roi is terrified of the darkness inside of him. The him that isn’t so different from someone like Zenos. Roi DOES live to fight. Roi enjoys his violence. Roi enjoys being hurt and driven to the brink. If an enemy cannot hurt him, it feels hollow. Roi is terrified by how much he enjoys slaying his enemies and risking his life. 

 And in the same vein, Roi is afraid of how much pain he can and will cause his loved ones. Roi spent so much time trying to convince himself that no one cared about him. That he was a tool and a weapon. That they would see the real him and abandon him. It took until after Shadowbringers for him to accept that others loved him, despite how ugly he was. But he knows that love is a curse for them. Roi has ALWAYS been self-destructive. It’s his primary indulgence. To ruin potential relationships and friendships. To put himself in danger so it isn’t HIS FAULT if he dies. Roi thinks he deserves punishment for the death of his family. He wants it so bad that he tries to put himself into danger. Something that he knew deep down, despite trying to run from it. But now that he has people that truly love him, it scares him. 

That feeling has not gone away. That desire is always there. Making his fingers twitch and his heart race. At every chance, he wants to leap. Roi is trying, now, to fight this suicidal desire. But it’s so hard and it’s a fight he wages alone. He doesn’t want anyone to worry about him. 

But he lives in constant fear that it will win and he will go back to his old ways. He knows so many times where he should have died. And after Endwalker, having everyone crying over him and scolding him was a real wake up call. He wants to live for them. But he is so so scared he’ll end up hurting them by hurting himself. 

As for his violence and the darkness in his heart, he drinks before sleeping to fend off the nightmares. He tries not to sleep around other people because of them. He tries to distract himself with any task he can find. But he doesn’t fight it nearly as much as he should. And he feels so fucking guilty about that. Roi fears his own weakness to his darker thoughts. His tendency to indulge in them. His desire to feed them. He’s afraid of becoming a monster like Zenos. But he’s also afraid of harming those that love him with his self-destructive behavior. 

[ourhearts-beatasone]

@whiterosemilktea continued from x

Looking at the demon in front of him Taishakuten realised that the creature was almost twice his size, but the fact that it didn’t take him serious could be something he could use to his advantage. Maybe he could strike the creature before it realised what was happening? No. It’s skin was too thick to be seriously damaged by his dagger. Taishakuten cursed under his breath. He was a healer, not someone who spilled blood.

Taishakuten’s glance flickered from the demon in front of him to the woman that was kneeling on the ground next to a fallen demon. If he was dead or injured Taishakuten couldn’t tell, but that was not important right now. The important thing was to free the woman from her captors and to get her to safety. Her pale skin was covered in dirt and blood, but as far as he could tell none of it seemed to be hers, which was a relief, but her neck was covered in dark bruises from where she had been yanked forward by the chain that also served as a collar around her neck. Taishakuten could only imagine how painful it must have been to have cold metal cut into such a sensitive area. And with anger slowly filling his chest Taishakuten wondered how long this poor creature had endured this torment already.

“Hand over your knife and I will grant you a quick death”, the demon then spoke with his deep voice, and it was obvious how amused he seemed to be by the whole situation. “I will do no such thing”, Taishakuten replied with defiance, looking up at the demon, but the demon only laughed. “Well, die then, you insignificant maggot.” The demon let go of the chain and stomped towards Taishakuten, just like the Celestial had hoped he would do, because it would give the woman a chance to run. All he had to do was making sure that the monster kept his attention on him.

It was obvious that the demon didn’t consider him a threat because he simply reached out his massive hand to take the dagger from him, like someone that wanted to take a toy from a child, but Taishakuten pressed his lips into a thin line before he thrusted his hand forward, stabbing the sharp blade of his dagger right through the demon’s palm. The scream the creature let out was ear-shattering. Taishakuten looked on in horror as the blood was spilling. Because of him. But he had to snap out of it quickly, otherwise this moment of surprise would be lost.

Taishakuten turned around and ran, gaze desperately searching for something he could use as a weapon. There was no way he could outrun this demon, he had to kill him, but how? That was when he noticed the sword sticking out of the ground, it must have belonged to the fallen Celestial Taishakuten had tried to save earlier. He was making a run for it but just as he was about to reach for it he felt something or rather someone grab the hem of his robe, pulling him back. It was the demon. Taishakuten groaned in pain when the demon used his claws to leave deep gashes on his stomach, the fabric of his clothes soaking in the blood immediately, but he would not give the demon the satisfaction to hear him scream.

“There is not much on you, but if you are as tasty as you are pretty you will serve as a snack just fine. I will slowly tear the skin from your bones and..” With his last strength Taishakuten had reached out and managed to grab the hilt of the sword, then he was wielding it and the blade left a clean cut on the demon’s throat. Again blood was spilling, but there was no way to stop it, no matter how loud the demon grunted, how hard he pressed his hands on the cut on his neck and he collapsed faster than Taishakuten expected, and just like that it was over. The demon was dead. Slowly he looked down at his stomach, the wounds were deep and bleeding profusely and Taishakuten was surprised he was still breathing, but not for long, not with how numb his limbs were already feeling. With a painful sigh he looked to the side to see the woman now standing next to the corpse of the demon, he couldn’t believe she was still here, it was still dangerous. “You are free, you need to run. His screams most likely alerted his companions, they will be here soon. You need to leave.” Taishakuten raised a hand to his lips, wiping away the blood that was now running from the corner of his mouth, the pain was getting unbearable. Maybe dying was not such a bad thing after all.

[lostincoloste]

Act one, Chapter 2

Day 4: It took damn near all day, but I clambered down from that door, the stairs behind me nearly crumbling from years of use, the air seemingly getting colder as what I began calling the Frosted Forest. The trees had pale blue-green pines growing on branches and trunks of nearly black brown bark, growing massively tall, hundreds of feet into the air, and many with trunks wider than I could wrap my arms around. It was like walking through the world from the eyes of a bug, the same sense of awe you feel when you think about how big the world is. The feeling of a cloudless day when you can look up to the Rafters, a reminder of how much is out there, and it boggles your brain. That’s about what I was thinking, when a deep guttural growl roared out behind me, the kind you feel in your skull and chest before you hear it. The beast that approached was unlike any common animal I’d seen. I’d heard of the creatures further out from the village, but nothing could have prepared me for the first time I felt like the rabbit in an open field; It had a crocodillian head, emitting the terrifying growl at me, massive powerful feathered wings pulled into it’s side as it dove down to catch it’s prey, me. With a small horn blow from within it, Castlello had unfolded one of it’s arms, revealing the hidden mini ballista at the end of it’s arm, and launched one of it’s rope connected bolts with pinpoint accuracy, the bolt embedding a strong rope into the croco-hawk. With a small shift of it’s weight, Castlello yanked on the rope connecting it to the creature, which was forced into a nosedive right into the cold dirt. This gave me the chance to try my new weapon, and I swung the ball and chain in a small circle a few times, charging up it’s electric power, before slamming it down with as much strength as I could muster, right onto the grounded monster, which it crashed into with a dull thud and a sharp thundering noise, killing the creature and partially cooking it, I assume.

The hide of the creature was actually remarkably tough, and I held onto it after washing it as much as I could at the moment, wrapping it tightly and hanging it from the side of one of my travel packs. The feathers would also probably make good fletching, and it was big enough that I could get many meals out of it. Normally I’d gather it’s teeth and claws, but I didn’t have time to carve them into jewellery, so I offered an apology to it’s spirit, for not making use of all that I could. With a small nod, I got up, and breathed in the chilly air, and something caught my attention: smoke. Either there was some sort of fire in the forest, which was unlikely, or there was a camp, maybe a village nearby! People! Perhaps a healer to help my shoulder. I told Castlello, out of a habit to say things out loud to it when I’m alone, but something weird happened. It let out a small whistle, and then a cute jingle from it’s music box, and began marching quickly towards the nearest pillar. I called out to it, but all it did was slam it’s doors at me and keep marching on, so I had to follow. And it set a gruelling pace as we marched, and in all the times I tried to call out or communicate with it, it just kept slamming it’s doors at me, defiantly. But ere long, I could tell it was on to something, the smell of smoke was getting stronger, and not just smoke, the smell of roasting meat, an incredible smell when one has been living off dry jerky and berried for the last few months, since no hunting could be done with the Rooks around the village. What was a march became a run.

After about an hour of travel, I could see the village, really no more than a row of houses and a handful not in a row at the end of the small clearing, but with people, and food! I was not very good at this lonely travel thing! I probably looked crazy, or threatening, and as I got through the tree-line, I was able to stop, being finally here. I stopped for breath, squatting down and putting my hands on my knees. My lungs were sore and my shoulder ached badly, but I didn’t get to rest long. Something within the trees was moving quickly and powerfully, breaking through and shaking the trees and the underbrush. A rook that looked like a small castle tower with arms and legs came crashing through the trees and at the village, putting the top of it’s tower down and charging.

I charged in too, grabbing the ball and chain attached to my belt, hefting the ball into a spin, the rookstone glowing and charging the weapon. I wasn’t going to make it in time, and the Rook was about to charge down some poor woman. Moving quickly, I hefted my hood arm and swung the the ball around faster a few final times to gather momentum, before tossing the electrified chained ball, blue electricity arced off of the metal as it flew through the air, and I swear the arcs of lightning arced out and pulled the ball into the body of this tower rook, slamming into it with a powerful crash and a crack of thunder, which threw the charging thing off, making it tumble to the ground off it’s balance. But it landed with practice, and was in a charging position towards me now, it’s powerful legs shaking the earth as it barrelled towards me. I tried to dive out of the way, but I was too slow, and underestimated it’s reflexes. What was me attempting to dive out of it’s path became me getting slammed into the ground by one of it’s stone hands, crushing and winding me. As I was getting up, it was already throwing another attack at me, it’s other fist coming at me like a battering ram. I didn’t even have time to think, I was about to be paste, when Castlello charged in, slamming it’s whole dense body into the side of the the stone fist coming at me, making the rook punch a crater into the ground beside me, dirt and grass going everywhere. Gathering myself, I pulled the giant sword off my back, and with an overhead swing, crushed the flat side of the blade down through the stone arm in front of me, severing it. The beast reeled back, a groaning coming from deep within, but Castlello was faster, and had launched it’s rope-bolts into the front of the rook, both impaling deep into the stones of the rook, and Castlello set it’s feet into the dirt and pulled back, pulling the rook back off balance. The tower of stone came crashing down towards me, and I took a knee, holding my sword up, letting the momentum of the beast falling impale it onto my sword. It crashed down, the sound of breaking rock, shearing metal and breaking machinery cried out, almost like a shriek, before slowing down and stopping, the last great chugs and hefts of whatever was inside coming to a stop.

My whole body hurt. The type of pain you feel in your bones, where you know this is gonna be a problem for a long time. I took a few minutes, my bad arm feeling like it was on fire and my knees barely supporting me, and I dug my sword into the ground to use as a support to stand. The village had gone quiet, everyone looking at me and the beast with bated breath. I rose, wiping the blood and dirt from my face, and as I got to my feet, I heard what sounded like a victorious rapid double ring of a bell from within Castlello, and the villagers that had gathered round cheered. My ears were still ringing and felt stuffy, so they all just turned into a dull white noise. As I looked around, I lamented that I wasn’t fast enough, the Rook had torn through a building already, the stone and wood structure collapsed in on itself where the rook tore through, and scattered around where it came out. I was shaken from my distraction when someone came up to me, and shook my hand, saying something I didn’t catch. I looked to them; she was the villager I’d saved. My head felt full of cotton balls as I looked at her; she was saying something to me, he expressive dark hazel eyes wrinkling at the corner as she said something again. I shut my eyes, and shook my head, focusing on hearing. “-incredibly dangerous! Thank you!” She finished, words still being drowned out by the excitement of the small crowd. “What?” I eloquently replied, my word slurred a little but “You saved my life! I-I thought that was it!” She still sounded like she was shaken, which, obviously. I tried to take a deep breath in, and caught a whiff of Juniper coming from her before I winced and coughed, my injuries getting in the way of trying to seem like a cool, stoic hero. “Are you okay?” she quickly asked, as I bent over in half and struggled to breath “P-peachy…” I wheezed out, trying to grin and set her and the now concerned crowd at ease. “Just need a few-” I winced again “Few minutes to rest. Maybe a few hours. Any place a traveller can stay?” I asked, trying to slowly stand up straight “That bloody thing took out our inn!” Some man from the crowd yelled out, belonging to a a larger man, tall and large with a greying beard to match his greying hair. “And my favourite bar! And my house! And my business!” he yelled more. I didn’t see more than one building broken, but this thing must’ve caused a lot more destruction than I’d seen. “I’m sorry-” I started, before he cut me off “Don’t be, it only destroyed the one building!” He said, with a dark smirk on his face, and I realized the joke. I went to laugh with him, since that was clearly how he was processing this attack, and then winced and coughed again. The woman in front of me winced in empathy, and put her arm under mine, pulling me to lean on her “C’mon, you can rest up at my house. I’m the village healer, I’m used to taking care of wounded.” She stated, matter of factly. I dropped my sword, and luckily Castlello picked it up for me, propping it against the fallen rook.

I barely remember getting to her house, and I do not remember being undressed to my small clothes, and bandaged up. I looked like I was being prepped for ritual burial, the amount of bandages she covered me in. “Salves and ointments, they’re gonna take down the bruising and swelling; and we want them all on your skin, so we covered all the bruising and injuries with my ointments and salves, and then cover it all with bandage so it doesn’t rub off. Everything goes well, you should be right as rain, or well, better than you were after you get a good long rest.” She told me, seeing me examine all of the bandages on my body, and making faces as the smells of the various open pots and jars around me. She wouldn’t let me get up and move around, and honestly, I was more doing it to put on the show of a stoic hero again. My body hurt so badly. But at her protests, I say back down on the cot she lent me, and we spoke. Her name was Lila, and the village was called Rovalley, after a founding family. Apparently, back in her grandmothers day, there was a proper road through here, maintained by some lord, but the soldiers stopped coming and work stopped being done years ago, and the forest overgrew any path or trail. Most people in the village never left the area, only hunting beasts in the nearby woods, and foraging what they needed. She gave me a tea made of the nettles of the trees around us, and laughed at me when she saw me control my face at the pungent bitter taste, before offering me honey to sweeten it. Her laugh was one you wanted to join in with, regardless of her laughing at you. I told her of my journey so far, and she nodded solemnly when I mentioned the corridor filled with mushrooms; “Visageshrooms” she called them “Very dangerous things, if not treated properly, the spores can overtake a person in a few days.” To which I thanked my luck once again that I had found potions that cleared it out of my system. Her people never travelled through there, due to the mushrooms, the danger of climbing the stairs, and stories of ambushes by bandits in and around the corridor.

Her village apparently told stories of the danger of the other side too, which was mostly wrong. They told of dangerous lands where giant spiders roamed the forest and people worked for massive rooks as caretakers and cultists; which caught my ear. We discussed the person I had seen the other day, with the robes, and confirmed that’s where the stories came from. She said that her mother, when Lila was a child, had taken in one of these cultists, who rambled in his sleep while her mother healed him, but he took off in the night, stealing poisonous herbs and healing poultices. I had been avoiding talking of my village, or even thinking of home, but I needed to ask her if she knew anything about my vision. I told her of the tower I saw, like a dead massive rook, bigger than anything I’d seen. With some sort of… weapon inside it, something that I can use to help save my village. She tenderly looked at me with a look of sympathy as I explained what had happened to my village, why I left, and she took one of my fidgeting hands into hers and squeezed. “I’m sorry, Niamh. I haven’t seen what you’re looking for, but I know it’s not near here. But” she piped up a bit, “there is a set of ruins nearby that might be helpful. I’ve never been, but those who have said it has carvings of what they think is some sort of ancient hero, banishing or defeating rooks. If there’s a legend about it, it might be the thing you need?” Her voice was almost desperate to help, and I was touched by her kindness, her empathy. Before I had known it, the brazier was dark, well past a proper time to sleep. We had been talking, telling stories and laughing. She was remarkably easy to talk to, and she made me laugh even though I was trying not to. She’d apologize each time she made me laugh, as I’d laugh then wince and cough. As the night drew on, my heart began to ache; I had to leave. My village needed me, and I was wasting time. I might never come back. I didn’t say anything, and when she realized the time, she made a small noise of surprise, and apologized for keeping me up. She lingered for a few moments, gathering the jars around me and the teacups, stealing glances at me as I stole them at her, catching each other and smirking and giggling, like young girls at a slumber party. Then she left, into the other room of her house to sleep, and I passed out the second I let my head hit the pillow. Pain is exhausting.

[francostrider]

Favorite Boss Fight: Ganon

So, apropos of nothing, I decided to gush about one of my favorite boss fights of all time. I figure, instead of doing a countdown list (like there’s some kind of objective truth), I decided to really knuckle down and go into why this specific boss fight hit me. Others will follow, but when thinking about which, Ganon was the first to come to mind. Specifically, the one from Ocarina of Time.

For some background, I had only played the original NES game (probably didn’t beat it at that point), and its sequel (Definitely didn’t beat it at that point). So, Ocarina of Time was miles upon miles ahead as far as experimentation in the series goes. We missed out on the evolution of both this series and Metroid, and a lot of this was completely fresh.

But focusing on the bosses, each one in Ocarina of Time had a title card and a subtitle. For example, “Subterranean Lava Dragon: Volvagia” or what have you. Now, you defeat Ganondorf, making this once invincible ruler feel his own mortality as he coughs up red blood. In a death curse, he tries to collapse the tower upon you. You escape the castle and you think you’re safe.

Then a noise echoes. Link steps over to investigate. And then Ganondorf bursts out of the ruins, invokes the Triforce of Power and transforms...

And it can not be understated what a moment this was. The black, horned silhouette staring at you with glowing eyes and big ass weapons. The music was properly melancholy and fire surrounded us with no chance of escape. The title card offered no describtion, just a simple truth: This was GANON. The being taunting us for endless hours on the NES is finally seen, finally known. To fans of Link to the Past, I imagined this was somewhat expected. But keep in mind that this was Ganondorf’s first appearance, and Ocarina of Time was about his origin. 

The actually boss fight was... Well, it’s probably one of the easier boss fights out there. Especially if you’re used to something like Dark Souls, it can be laughable. You’re solutions are shooting Ganon in the face with light arrows and hit his tail, or, saving both magic and arrows, you can roll between his legs as he attacks, and then hit his tail. Yes, he hits like a truck, but he is very easy to dodge.

The fight with Ganon was less about the challenge and more about the presentation. From the sounds, to the music, to the style and the atmosphere, it all spoke of how there is nothing after this. Win or lose, this is the end. Doom is before you, every step it takes echoing, and staring at you from the dark. You walked out to this time period after taking up the Master Sword to the menacing glow of Death Mountain, the zombified ruins of the castle town, and world without hope. And the source of all of that is now concentrated into this one being. Lightning strikes and monsters call.

As the fight progresses, you get your sword back and finally get in a good shot at its shadowy face. The tide had turned. You whittle him down and he is on his knees, staring out, light revealing what the shadow had hidden. This harbinger of doom is now weakened. Zelda sends blasts of light at him as your sword glows. And then you cut into him, blood spilling with every cut. No more shadow to hide in, the blade cuts deep, right into his horrible face. He is still not dead, but Zelda uses the remainder of her power to seal him away.

To my mind, later renditions of the Ganon fight, even in Breath of the Wild, do not measure up to this game’s presentation. The one in Wind Waker was just silly, and the design for Twilight Princess was just kind of going through the motions. They are followed up by a cool sword fight with Ganondorf, but I wonder if having the Ganon fight first is a bad idea. It kind of makes it feel like he’s a pet of Ganondorf and not the actually a part of him.

Not only do the later renditions suffer, but the 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time also falls flat. Yes, the sounds and music are there, but what is missing? Well, first of all, they recolored the blood from red to green, which is not only insulting, but makes the scenes look silly, not potent. It added to the stakes of the fight. You were not fighting a monster with Ganondorf, but a man who fell to his own greed. Now it looks like he coughed up a bad vegetable smoothy.

And, when Ganon shows up...

The model is brighter this time, making the image just less terrifying. While the model is smoother and from a more advanced system, it still looks kind of goofy. The use of color and lighting pulled a lot of weight in the original, and here they’re barely using it at all. I can’t help but feel like they missed the point of their own presentation and why it worked.

Also, the tail.

Now, the tail in the original was the brightest part, but still consistent with the overall look. This looks like they got the back end of a bright fish and glued it on.

I guess they wanted to show off the tech, but showing off tech wasn’t what made the fight great. Remember how Quake II was a tech demo for its own engine? Also, remember how standard that whole game was? The animation was stiff, the presentation was run of the mill and, compared to many other games (especially shooters) during its time, it was really boring. Ocarina of Time was in reverse. It was not there to show off hot new tech (save for the refinements of what they had), but it understood style, tone, animation and gameplay. Hell, Ocarina of Time is the game that finally figured out how melee in a 3rd person action adventure should work at a basic level. In comparison to Quake 2, Ocarina of Time was just more memorable.

So, in showing off what the 3DS can do, the remake hinders its own presentation. It is just unaffecting, its atmosphere lessened and the overall look sillier. In showing off more, they made it less.

And there are little things that can’t really be replicated with today’s tech. During the transformation scene in the original, the framerate would slow down. This has the effect of making the creature feel like reality is bending around him, that he is so powerful that maybe the system itself has trouble. The slower framerate of the game overall was part of its flavor. Again, style has a way of overruling tech. It gave it the feel of an 2D animated movie in 3D. People whine when somehing goes below 60 FPS (one, shall we say, entitled post whined about Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 not being 120 FPS), but a raised frame rate does not automatically make it better.

Also people forget that a CRT monitor blends sprites and colors together, squeeze more depth out of the literal computerized image. Images that have two colors on an MSPaint layout suddenly have more depth. Yes, there was some foggy imagery for the time, but it did not hinder the experience as much as you’d think. In some ways, it enhanced it.

My point is the intended experience of the original Ocarina of Time can not be simply replicated by just “upping” everything. It was a product of its day. It is very playable and it aged far better than a lot of third person games of the time, but the intended experience was through a CRT monitor, at the frame rate, for the N64. And the Ganon fight is the most telling of that dissonance. Similar to how the limitations led to Silent Hill’s iconic fog, those same limitations led to the menacing image of Ocarina of Time’s Ganon.